Peculiar
by shana852963
Summary: Sequel to Abnormal. More secrets are uncovered, and Dudley's daughter enters her second year of Hogwarts. Harry, meanwhile, is faced with a Dark witch who's power seems to rival that of some of the worst that he's faced in the past.
1. Chapter 1

Twelve-year old Alexandra Dursley sighed as she rolled out of bed. It was the third time this week that she had been woken up before her likings by the bright glare of the sun shining through her broken blinds. She looked at her clock. It was only seven thirty. She knew she would never get back to sleep, though, so she slipped on her dressing gown and headed into the kitchen.

"Morning," she yawned to her father, who was sitting at the table eating cold cereal.

"Morning. You're up early."

"Stupid sun woke me up again," she muttered, placing two slices of bread into the toaster. "It keeps shining in through the blinds."

"I'll try to remember to fix them this weekend," Dudley told her. "Do you have any plans today?"

"Yes, I'm going to spend the whole afternoon with my many friends," she replied sarcastically, grinning at her father. "No, dad. I don't. Why?"

"I thought maybe we could drive into the city to the cinema and grab a bite to eat," he replied. "Seeing as this is my first day off of work in months."

"That sounds fun," Alexandra nodded.

"Good. We'll go right after I send my report to my boss."

"But you just said you didn't have to work," Alexandra frowned.

"I meant that I just didn't have to go into the office," he said, smiling weakly.

The office Dudley worked at had been going under for a long time. We worked there making computer presentations for a once booming company. Now, however, the company was millions of dollars in debt, and though he worked nearly seventy hours a week, he barely made enough to make ends meet. Of course, their financial situation was not helped by the fact that he was a single parent. Alexandra's mother had been out of the picture since she was three, choosing to devout her life to her career, rather than her family, according to Dudley.

Just then, there was a knock at the door.

"Can you get that?" Dudley asked, washing his bowl at the sink.

Alexandra obeyed, and walked to the front door and opened it. There was a thin, bony woman on the step, with a especially long neck. Her eyes were watery and she clutched her handbag tightly in her hands. She looked vaguely familiar to Alexandra, but she couldn't place the face…

"Hello," she said to this strange woman. "Can I help you?"

"Look at you," the woman said softly, staring at Alexandra with such an expression of remorse and joy. "You've gotten so tall."

Alexandra didn't know how to respond to this. But then it hit her. "Grandma?"

"Who's at the door?" Dudley called, coming from the kitchen. He stopped in his tracks, though, when he was who was at the door. "Mum?"

"Oh, Dudley!" she said, beginning to sob. "It's been so long!"

"What are you doing here?" Dudley asked, clearly confused. "Do-do you want to come in?"

"Yes, yes. Thank you," Petunia said, stepping into the small house.

"Is everything alright?" Dudley asked as he sat down next to his mother on the sofa.

"No," she said heavily. "I'm-I'm sorry to say, darling, but your-your father died two nights ago."

Dudley blinked. "Oh. I'm-I-how?"

"He had a heart attack," she said, fresh tears falling from her eyes.

"Wow," Dudley sighed. "I don't-"

"I know you two have, well, had your differences over the past years," she continued softly. "But it would mean a lot to me if you would come to his funeral. It's this Saturday."

"Of course," Dudley said, not knowing how to react to such news. While it was true that he hadn't spoken to his father in over seven years, it still felt like someone had punched him in the gut. "Do you need anything mum? You can stay here if you need or-"

"No, no, but thank you," she said earnestly. "But, well, I trust you've kept in touch with-with Harry?"

"Yes," Dudley nodded.

"Well, I don't know if he would want to, I certainly wouldn't blame him if he didn't, but would you ask him if he would want to come as well?"

"Sure, mum," Dudley said.

Alexandra watched the scene from the front hall. She didn't know how she felt about her grandfather's passing. She knew that he thought of her a freak simply because she was a witch, but all the same, he _was_ her grandfather.

Petunia stayed for a couple more hours, catching up as much as she could in that time with her only son and granddaughter. But then she had to leave to continue making funeral arrangements.

"Rough way to start out your morning, huh?" Dudley said softly once his mum left.

"I'm really sorry, dad," Alexandra said sincerely.

"Thanks, sweetie," Dudley sighed. "Well, I guess I'll tell Harry tonight. I don't think he'll be up for the funeral, though. Dad was dead awful to him while he lived with us."

Alexandra retreated back to her room. The sun was shining even worse through the blinds now than before. Alexandra sat down on her bed, and pulled a book from her school trunk. It was _The Era's Darkest Wizards and their Downfall. _Over the last few weeks of the summer holiday, she had become accustom to glossing through the pages every night before she went to sleep. It scared her how fascinated she was by the book. Each page told of the inhumane crimes that each witch or wizard had commited. Alexandra flipped to a particular page, and stared down at it: _Claridina Wretermoust_. Alexandra was truly terrified of this woman. Not only because of her apperance, which was frightening enough in and of itself, but because of the monsterous son she had risen. Yes, Rolwat Wretermoust was only twelve, and yet seemed capable of magic of someone nearly four years his senior. Despite the fear that was created every time she looked at this page, though, she kept finding herself drawn back to it.

….

AN- Kind of a slow start, yes, but things will escalate in time!


	2. Chapter 2

Dudley held the phone his hand, trying to figure out how exactly he would say what he was going to say. He wondered how Harry would react to the news of his Uncle's death. Would he feel glad? Dudley didn't think so. Harry might have hated Vernon Dursley with a passion, but he was too good a person to actually feel joyous for his passing. Dudley doubted he would actually be sad, though. He had to put up with the man's abuse for sixteen long years, after all. Perhaps he, like Dudley, wouldn't know what he felt.

Dudley sighed, and dialed Harry's number.

"Hello?" answered a young girl.

"Hi, Lily?" Dudley replied. "I-I, can I speak to your dad?"

"Okay," she responded simply. Dudley heard her set the phone down and call for her father.

"Hello?" Harry said.

"Hi, Harry," he said. "It's Dudley. I'm just calling to let you know that a couple nights ago, well, according to my mum, my dad had a heart attack and died."

The other end was silent for a moment, then Harry cleared his throat. "I'm-I'm sorry, Dudley," he said.

"I haven't talked to him in years," Dudley said quickly. "It's more of just shock that I'm feeling now. Anyway, look, I can completely understand if you'd rather not, I mean, if it were me, I certainly wouldn't, I'm going more for my mum, after all, but this Saturday is the funeral. I just thought I'd tell you-"

"What time?"

"Sorry?"

"What time is the funeral?"

"What? You mean you're actually coming? I thought you hated him?"

"That was a long time ago," Harry said. "And he's dead now. I think I can try to put all those years behind me."

"Oh," Dudley said, surprised. "Well, um, it's at noon. At the funeral home across from the old fishing dock."

"Okay," Harry said. "I'll see you then, I suppose."

"See you then," Dudley echoed, hanging up the phone.

….

"So let me get this straight," Ron said, shaking his head. "You're actually going to the funeral of the uncle that made your childhood awful? That tried to stamp out every little bit of magic that you had? That considered you a freak?"

"It's called respect for the dead, Ron," Hermione told him. "I think it's very big of you, Harry."

"I'm not saying I still don't like the man," Harry explained. "Or that I'm torn up with grief and what not. I'm just saying that that I ought to be able to put a grudge to rest after all these years. I mean, when Dudley came here with Alexandra seven years ago, I never thought I'd be able to get past the fact that he shoved my head in toilets when I was younger, or that he went out of his way to make sure I was picked on in primary school. But I did. I don't forgive him for it, just like I won't forgive my uncle for all that stuff he did to me, but I can just sort of, you know, not dwell on it."

"Good for you, Harry," Hermione smiled, squeezing Harry's shoulder.

…..

"Are you sure you don't want me to come with you?" Ginny asked her husband as he buttoned the cuffs of his black dress shirt.

"No, you stay. I'll be fine there," Harry answered.

"You're doing the right thing," she told him earnestly, wrapping her arms around him.

"It still feels weird," Harry sighed.

"I know it does."

….

Alexandra had never been to a funeral before. She knew more or less what to expect from things she'd heard from other kids at school and television shows, but experiencing it first hand was going to be totally new to her.

"I don't know anybody here, dad," she whispered to her father, looking around at the twenty or so bodies in the room.

"Neither do I," Dudley replied, staring at the unfamiliar faces of what he assumed to be his father's co-workers. He knew his father didn't have any family left; his sister, Marge had died about a year before Alexandra was born. He tried to scan his mother out. He was still unsure of how he felt about seeing his mum again. On one hand, he knew that it wasn't her that wanted to cut off communication with her only son and his witch of a daughter; Vernon had always had a tight hold on her, but at the same time, he was sure if she really had tried, she could've found a way to stay in touch under his radar…

"Weather's bloody awful," Harry muttered, walking up next to Dudley, wiping a few spare drops of rain off his coat.

"Thanks again for coming," Dudley said. "Service is about to start any minute now, I hope."

"Have you seen your mum yet?"

Dudley nodded over by his father's casket. "Right there."

Petunia, spotting her son, bid a quick goodbye to the old couple she had previously been talking to, and headed in his direction.

"I thought, maybe, you wouldn't come."

"Had a bit of car trouble," Dudley replied, fidgeting with the hem of his jacket.

She nodded, and then turned her attention over to Harry. She simply stared at him for what seemed like an eternity. Harry stood there awkwardly as her eyes glanced over him, stopping at his scar.

Harry cleared his throat. "I'm- er, sorry about-about your loss."

"I can't believe you came," she said softly. "I asked Dudley to invite you, but never in a million years would I have thought…"

Harry nodded, to show he understood.

"That's something Lily would've done," she continued, looking down at the ground. "She could never hold a grudge."

And with that, she hurried away back to the front of the room.

The service began shortly afterwards. It wasn't very long, an hour at the most. Guests began filing out, paying their last condolences to Petunia as they did so. At last, only Harry, Dudley, Alexandra and Petunia remained.

"Well," Harry said, tucking his hands in his coat pocket. "I-I suppose I'd better be off then."

"See you when we pick up the school things, then," Dudley replied.

Harry nodded. He looked at his aunt. "Again, I'm rea-real sorry."

"You deserved better," Petunia said shortly, still not making eye contact with her nephew. "You were my sister's only child. I knew it was awful, the things we made you go through growing up."

Without waiting for any sort of response, she hurriedly turned away and headed to the hall outside the room.

….

"Damn rain," Dudley cursed as he unlocked his front door, dripping wet from the raging storm outside.

"Can we light the fire? I'm freezing," Alexandra asked.

"No. We don't have any wood. I usually don't pick any up until October. Hold on and I'll turn up the heat."

Alexandra decided to change out of her soaked dress, and headed back to her room. She was surprised, though, to see a large owl sitting outside her window. It seemed oblivious to the pouring rain; staring intently inside. Alexandra inched her window open, letting in a gust of water, and the owl slipped the roll of parchment that it had been clutching in its beak through the crack, and then took flight.

Miraculously, the parchment did not seem to be at all wet; some sort of charm, she guessed. She unrolled it, scanning for any sort of indication as to who sent it, but there was none. In fact, there was no actual writing on the parchment. Instead, there was an aged, yellow cutout from a newspaper taped to it. The headline read: **Fall of the Dark Arts**. From the way it was formatted, the article did not appear to be from the _Daily Prophet. _Frowning, Alexandra read.

_The all-powerful Dark Lord has fallen last night, at the hands of Harry Potter, better known, perhaps, as the Boy Who Lived, or more recently, The Chosen One. The Ministry of Magic has been abuzz with all sorts of captures of Death Eaters; those who supported the Dark Lord most valiantly. The Ministry chooses to believe that this is now the end of Dark Magic; that no more shall the light be suffocated by the dark. But those true believers, those who passionately follow the Dark ways, shall never be silenced. _

Alexandra read the article over again, her blood chilling. It seemed very ominous. She figured that this must have been published in some sort of newspaper that circulated to a very Dark crowd right after Harry had killed Voldemort. But the question was, who would've sent it to her?


	3. Chapter 3

"Smells good, Dad," Alexandra said to her father as she walked into the kitchen, greeted by the wafts of fried eggs and bacon.

"Reckoned it was about time I finally use the stove this year," Dudley smiled. "You ready to get your school things?"

Alexandra nodded. She had received her letter last week with the new list of books she needed.

"We'll head off to Harry's once you've finished your breakfast then."

She sat down at her plate, and began chewing her bacon. Dudley's phone sounded, and he retrieved it from his pocket.

"Hello?"

He was silent for a minute.

"I thought-"

The other person on the line must have interrupted him, for he fell silent again.

"I see that," Dudley said after a moment. "But there's nobody else who can come in?"

He sighed.

"Alright. Give me about an hour."

He hung up the phone. "Bad news, Alexandra. My boss just got word from a client that a big deal is about to go underwater unless we can do some damage control. I'm going to have to go in."

"But we're supposed to go to Diagon Alley!"

"I know, I know. I'm sorry. I'll call Harry and see if I could just drop you off and pick you up in a few hours."

He gave his daughter a soft smile, and then went in the other room.

Alexandra played around with her breakfast until Dudley came back into the kitchen. "Right, Harry said it's fine if I just drop you off. He said that you should be back by one, so I'll pick you up again when I break for lunch."

"Okay," Alexandra said. "But why do you always have to go into the office? Don't they have anybody else?"

"There've been a lot of lay offs, sweetie. If I start giving them a rough time, I'll be next. Besides, I'm the only one they've got that can handle the computer problems."

"Then they should at least pay you a little more," she muttered.

Dudley smiled weakly.

….

"You've got you're money, right?" Dudley asked as he pulled into the Potter's driveway.

"Yes," Alexandra replied, clutching the bills in her pocket. "I'll exchange them at the bank like last time."

"Good. And I'm really sorry I've got to just drop you off like this; I'll make it up to you tonight. We'll go to your favorite restaurant."

"Sounds good, dad," she smiled. "See you at one."

She unbuckled her seatbelt and walked up to the front door and rang the bell.

Ginny answered. "Hello, dear," she said politely, letting the girl into the house and giving a quick wave to Dudley. "We're just about ready to go."

She led Alexandra into the living room. James was standing by the fireplace with an anxious expression on his face. Albus was watching him enviously from the couch. Harry was helping Lily fasten her cloak.

"Hi, Alexandra!" Lily greeted her happily, grinning,

"Hi, Lily," she replied.

"Are we ready now?" James asked his mother, checking his watch again. "The others were going to be there at eleven."

"James, it's only ten thirty," Ginny told her son.

"Did you remember your booklist?" Harry asked Alexandra.

"Yes. It's in my pocket."

"Okay, after we go to Gringotts, I'm going to take James down to Madam Malkin's to get his robes and then his wand and other supplies. Ginny will take you to refill your potion ingredients and whatever else you need. Then we'll all meet at Flourish and Blotts."

Alexandra nodded in understanding.

"We're going to take the Floo again," Ginny said, taking down a pot from the fireplace mantle. "Alright, who's first?"

"Me!" James exclaimed, sticking his fist right into the pot.

"You wait for everybody before you go anywhere," his mother told him sternly as he stood in the fireplace.

Alexandra wasn't a fan of this method of travel, but she knew it was the fastest way to get everyone to Diagon Alley. After James went, Harry took Lily. Then Albus went.

"Do you remember how it's done?" Ginny asked kindly as Alexandra steeped into the fireplace.

"I think so," Alexandra said. "Diagon Alley!" She was instantly consumed by the green flames, and thrust into the now familiar vortex of fireplaces. When she got to the exit that led to Diagon Alley, she braced herself for the landing, which was, as she remembered, very rough.

"Still not big on it, huh?" Harry asked, helping Alexandra up.

"Not at all," Alexandra answered, dusting herself off. Once Ginny arrived, the party bid a quick hello to Tom, the barman, and then headed to the back of the Leaky Cauldron where, after going through the brick wall barrier, they entered Diagon Alley. Alexandra easily spotted Gringotts bank; it's large, white-marble structure made it stand out among the smaller shops.

"It won't take too long in here, will it?" James asked his dad.

"I don't think so; it doesn't look very crowded."

The six walked into the building, and up to a large counter with a small, irritable-looking goblin behind it.

"Withdraw?" the goblin asked without looking up from the coins he was sorting.

"Yes," Harry said, handing the goblin a large key.

The goblin examined it closely; as if determined to find something wrong with it. As it turned out, though, everything seemed to be in order, so with much distaste etched on his face, he beckoned for another goblin to come over.

"Realian, take this lot down to their vault; surname's Potter."

The goblin called Realian nodded.

"Is there anything else?"

"I-I have to exchange my muggle money," Alexandra spoke up in a nervous voice.

The goblin at the counter glared at her. "Then perhaps you should go to the exchange counter."

"I'll take her," Harry volunteered, handing the key to the vault over to his wife. "We'll wait for you out here. Come on, Alexandra."

He led Alexandra over to another counter. Alexandra noticed the goblin give her one last cool piercing stare as they passed. She recalled the goblin's hostile manner from the last time she visited the bank, but it still made her feel uncomfortable. She also noticed how the goblins seemed to act a bit more aggressive towards her than they did towards the Potter's…

"Excuse me," Harry said to the goblin working the exchange counter. "We need to make an exchange."

This goblin, who had previously been weighing rubies and emeralds, glanced up. "Which one of you would that be?"

"Um, me," Alexandra said shyly, pulling out the bills from her pocket. "I think there's 200 pounds there."

"You think?" the goblin inquired cruelly. He carefully recounted the bills. "Very well." He pulled out a sheet of parchment. "Surname's Dursley isn't it? Remember you from last summer."

"Er, yes, that's right," she nodded, astounded at the fact that this goblin remembered her from a year ago.

He wrote her name and information on the parchment, and then pushed a pouch of Galleons across the counter. "There you are."

"Thank you," Harry said. Before they turned around, Alexandra saw the goblin who had just given her the Galleons lean over to a goblin sitting next to him and whisper something that made them both look up at her.

Ginny and the children seemed to have finished up just as Harry and Alexandra did, for they all met by the main counter at the same time.

"Excellent, can I get my wand now?" James asked hurriedly as Ginny tossed Harry as bag of coins.

"We pass by the robe shop and Apothecary first," Harry replied. "You'll get your wand, James, just be patient."

"But that's where Louis is supposed to meet us!"

"I talked to Bill this morning, and he said, they were going to look at owls first," Ginny told her son.

"Is Fred going to be here?" Alexandra asked.

"Yeah, he's helping his dad out at the shop today," Albus replied.

"He's going to meet us at Ollivander's as well," James said. "Assuming we ever get there, that is."

"You'd better go before that one has a heart attack," Ginny smiled. "We'll see you at the bookshop in a bit."

James grabbed his father's hand and the two rushed out of the bank.

Alexandra didn't only needed a few things besides books; some extra quills and some more parchment, refills on her potion ingredients and new stand for her telescope. They managed to get everything in a reasonable amount of time (though they were slowed down a bit by a nasty spill in the Apothecary) and were able to head to Flourish Blott's in just a little over an hour.

"I wonder if James and dad are here yet," Albus wondered aloud as he scanned the busy bookshop.

"Looks like it," Ginny said, spotting Harry's untidy head of hair sticking out among the crowd of witches and wizards in the shop.

Flourish and Blott's was by far the most crowded shop in Diagon Alley. It was all the party could do to find their way to Harry and James, who were now accompanied by George, Angelina, Fred, Bill, Louis, Dominique and Victoire.

"Mum! Mum! Look at my wand!" James said, proudly showing his mother his brand new wand. "Thirteen inches, mahogany and phoenix feather; that's dad's core!"

"I know," Ginny grinned. "And I'll bet you'll be just as good a wizard as he is."

"Hi, Alexandra," Fred said.

Alexandra was happy to se him; the two had become rather good friends over their last year at Hogwarts.

"Hello," she replied. "Have you gotten your books?"

"Nah, we just got here. My dad and I met James and Louis down at Ollivander's."

"We've got a lot of new books this year," Alexandra commented, looking at her crumpled booklist. "We need copies of _The Fundamentals of Potion Brewing_, _The Standard Book of Spells, Grade Two_, _Constellations and their Origins_…"

"Yup, looks like the teachers are planning on really laying it on us," Fred sighed. He was no fan of schoolwork. "But have I told you I'm going to try out for Quidditch this year?"

"No, do you know what position?"

"Probably Chaser; my only other choice would be Seeker, and I'm not very good at spotting the Snitch."

Alexandra didn't know too much about Quidditch, only the basics. She wasn't very skilled on a broomstick either.

"Any idea if Alanna got her books already?" Fred asked.

Alanna Brooklyn was another friend of Alexandra and Fred. She was Muggle born, and had told Alexandra that her family, being highly religious, did not completely approve of her studying witchcraft.

"I don't know," Alexandra admitted. "I haven't heard from her all summer; neither of us have an owl."

"I meant to write her," Fred said. "But my dad's been using our owl a lot to ship products to customers."

"There you are," James said, running up to Fred, followed by Louis. "Your mum said to tell you that she found all your books. My mum's got yours, Alexandra. They're waiting by the counter."

"We're going back to your dad's shop too," Louis added. "Think he'd let me refill on dungbombs? Victoire caught me trying to sneak some into her room and threw them all off that cliff behind our house."

After everyone paid for his or her books, the large group made their way over to a bustling, colorful store: Weasleys' Wizard Wheeze's.

Angelina went to go help out at the front counter, while George led the others to the back.

The kids immediately scattered. Alexandra, unsure of what to do with herself, stood quietly by a large shelf.

"Look at these beauties," George said to Harry, showing him a cage of large spiders. "Brand new. They shrink down to the size of a pea. You can slip them into someone's shoe, their coffee, whatever."

"Think I'll get one," Harry said, grinning. "Ron ate the last of my Treacle Tart last night…"

When at long last everyone had finished looking around the store, they stopped for a quick bite of ice cream, and then each family went its separate way.

"Wonder how this would do in a duel," James said, examining his wand as the party walked back towards the Leaky Cauldron.

"You won't be finding out for quite some time," Ginny said sternly. "You know Hogwarts has a strict 'no dueling' rule, unless it's in a classroom, of course."

"But dad's told he he's dueled at school before," James complained. "Right dad, you and that Malfoy."

"Yes well, your father did a lot of things at that school that you won't be doing," Ginny said, rolling her eyes at her husband.

"Like fighting dragons and three headed dogs?"

"Exactly."

…..

AN-Sorry for the long wait; but did everyone hear J.K. Rowling announcement? I can't wait, although I do wish she would just write another book.


	4. Chapter 4

"Come on, where is it?" Alexandra mumbled, looking through her trunk for her nearly finished History of Magic essay that she had tossed in there last night before she went to bed. "Don't tell me I need to start again." The Hogwarts Express was to leave tomorrow at eleven, and Alexandra shuddered at the thought of having to start the fifteen-inch essay on the standardization of wand regulations in northern Europe all over again. Luckily, she found the parchment rolled up at the bottom of her trunk. She quickly added a few more choice sentences, and then placed the essay with the rest of her summer work she was going to hand in. After a long morning of packing, when noon came around, Alexandra was famished. She walked towards the kitchen, but stopped in the hall upon hearing her father's voice on the phone.

"Because I don't need it," Dudley said angrily into his phone, oblivious to Alexandra's presence.

Alexandra frowned. Surely her father wouldn't be talking to someone from his office in that tone…

"Mum, for the fifth time, we're fine," Dudley hissed.

She blinked. Dudley hadn't made any mention of her grandmother since the funeral.

"I don't care how much money she had," Dudley continued. "I'm not going to go after her. Alexandra and I are just fine without her. Besides, I don't even know where she is."

Dudley was silent for a moment, and then said. "Yes, well, mum, seeing as how you haven't had any contact with me in the past seven years, I wouldn't expect you to understand it."

He hung up the phone, and still without seeing Alexandra, went into the next room and turned on the television.

Alexandra stood there, not moving. She figured she knew whom Dudley and her grandmother were talking about: her mother, who had left her and her father when she was a young child. She had never heard Dudley talk about her mother, he chose to simply pretend she had never existed, which was fine In Alexandra's book.

"Dad," she said softly, walking into the living room.

"Yeah, Alexandra," Dudley asked, looking up from the screen.

"Um, I was going to fix myself some lunch, do you want anything?"

"No, no. I'll make something in a little bit. Are you all packed for tomorrow?"

"Yes."

"Good. I'll load your trunk into the car tonight so we won't have to be bothered with it tomorrow."

Alexandra nodded, and then turned into the kitchen. After a quick sandwich, she headed back to her room. She tried reading her new _The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 2_, but found that she could not concentrate. Giving up, she placed the book back in her trunk, and pulled out for what seemed like the hundredth time that summer, _The Era's Darkest Wizards and their Downfall, _and sat on her bed, and let herself be flooded with a mixture of utter abhorrence, and pure fascination.

….

"Finally, a bloody parking spot," Dudley said, pulling into the only available spot in King's Cross Station.

"We've only got seven minutes," Alexandra said urgently, checking her watch.

Dudley ran to get a trolley, and then the two quickly made their way over to the barrier between platform's nine and ten: Platform 9 ¾ . After a glance around to make sure no Muggles were watching, Dudley and Alexandra walked casually towards the platform, bracing themselves for the impact they both knew wouldn't come. Instead, they simply stepped through the barrier, and were instantly greeted by the sight of the gleaming scarlet train.

"Write to me when you get there," Dudley said, looking at his watch and seeing that it was only one minute until eleven. "Have a good term."

"See you at Christmas," Alexandra said, hugging her father. "Bye, dad!"

She heaved her trunk onto the train just as the final whistle rang out. A second later, the wheels began moving.

"There you are!" a voice said behind her. Alexandra turned around to see Alanna.

"Alanna! I've missed you so much," Alexandra exclaimed, hugging her friend.

"You too," Alanna smiled as the girls pulled apart. "I could barely wait to head back to Hogwarts, it's been so boring back at home."

"Same here. I can't wait to see the castle again."

"I wonder where Fred is," Alanna said.

"Probably with James and Louis," she shrugged.

Right on cue, one of the compartment doors nearby slid open, and Fred poked his head out. "Oy, there you two are; we were beginning to think you missed the train! Come on, we saved you seats."

The girls followed Fred into the compartment where, like Alexandra had said, James and Louis were also sitting.

"How long does it take to get to the castle?" James asked anxiously, looking out the window.

"Five hours," Fred replied, sitting down. "Hey, give me back the _Quibbler_! I was still reading that!"

"The _Quibbler_?" Alanna repeated.

"It's this magazine that our parent's friend, Luna, and her father run," James explained, tossing the magazine back to Fred. "It's pretty much filled with rubbish, but it's really entertaining."

"I read it this morning," Louis said. "Wait until you see that one story about the niffler invasion; nearly made me choke on my porridge…"

The five talked and laughed together throughout the entire train ride. Alexandra had talked with James many times before, but she hadn't had too many actual conversations with him, and the only times she ever saw Louis were at holidays when her and her father were invited over to the Potter's residence.

Alanna, having only met both boys last Easter when she stayed with Alexandra, got along fairly well with both of them. They got into a lengthy discussion about the Hogwarts houses.

"Well it's obvious I'll be a Gryffindor," James said to Alexandra and Alanna. "My entire family's been it."

"So has mine," Louis interjected.

"Not your mum," Fred reminded him. "She didn't even go to Hogwarts."

"Yes, but if she did, she would've."

"But what if you're not in Gryffindor," Alanna asked the two boys. "I mean, you probably will be, but what if you, by some chance, get put into another house?"

"Well, our parents all told us that houses don't matter," explained James. "So they wouldn't mind; and I reckon if I _had_ to, I could get used to being in Ravenclaw. Maybe Hufflepuff."

"Boy, imagine if you got put into Slytherin," Louis laughed.

"Think I'd catch the first train back home," James grinned.

"Here, here," Fred nodded. "Couldn't pay me enough galleons to be stuck with people like Wretermoust. Wait until you see him, you guys, he's awful! Isn't he, girls?"

"Terrible," Alanna agreed. "Too bad he didn't get expelled last year."

"Dad still fumes about that from time to time," James said. "Course that's probably because he hates his mum so much."

"Maybe he'll so something again this year," Alexandra said thoughtfully. "I mean, I hope he doesn't do anything too severe, but I'm sort of wishing that he gets caught doing something that gets him expelled."

"Then we wouldn't have to worry about the git ever again," Fred said wistfully, smiling at the thought.

"But next year Scorpio Malfoy starts," James mumbled. "But that's a whole other story…"

...

At long last, the Hogwarts Express pulled into the station.

"I think I can see the castle!" Louis said excitedly, peering out the window. "Or one of its towers, at least."

The group fought their way through the sea of students and out of the train.

"Firs' years!" came the familiar call of Hagrid. "Firs' years over here!"

"See you two at the Sorting," Fred said to his cousins.

"Good luck," Alexandra said to the two boys.

As the five separated, Alexandra couldn't help but notice that faces of nervousness were now replacing the confident smiles James and Louis had adorned on the train.

Alexandra, Alanna, and Fred found a carriage, and settled down in it.

"Hope the Sorting doesn't take too long," Fred said as the carriage started. "I'm bloody starving."

"Even after you ate my licorice wand?" Alanna asked.

"Hey, it was in my pile, I thought it was mine!"

"Guys, look!" Alexandra said.

The two stopped bickering, and turned around to see the majestic outline of Hogwarts come into sight. They were back at last.


	5. Chapter 5

Once the carriages reached the school, the trio jumped off, and followed the rest of the crowd of students into the already packed Great Hall.

"There you lot are," said Teddy Lupin, taking a seat next to Fred. "I've been looking all over for you. How are James and Louis doing?"

"They seem pretty confident that they'll be in Gryffindor," Fred shrugged.

"Well, Louis has two sisters in Gryffindor already," Teddy said. "And honestly, I couldn't imagine James being anything _but_ a Gryffindor."

"Would having family in Gryffindor really help you get in?" Alexandra asked.

"Not really," Teddy admitted. "Sorting Hat looks at each new student in terms of their own character, but for the most part, it tends to work out that way. Just look at your family, Fred, the whole lot was Gryffindor!"

"Well, I hope they both get sorted into here," Alanna said.

Once all the returning students filed in, the new students were led in by Professor Flitwick, who was holding a three-legged stool and a battered old hat. He set the stool down in front of the teacher's table, and placed the hat upon it. At once, the hat's brim opened like a mouth, and it began speaking to the hall.

_Many will simply look upon me,_

_And see but a simple hat._

_But the words that I choose to say,_

_Will surely counter that._

_Back when Hogwarts was but a dream,_

_Thought up by the brightest four,_

_I sat upon the head_

_Of Godric Gryffindor. _

_And into me went a part of each founder,_

_So that I could make the choice of where each student could be prouder._

_I haven't been wrong yet,_

_And you must surely bet,_

_That where I place you,_

_Will surely carry you through. _

_But whether you have the brains of Ravenclaw, so clever,_

_Or the heart of Hufflepuff, gold forever._

_Or the strength of a Gryffindor, courageous in the running,_

_Or even the mindset of a Slytherin, ever so cunning,_

_You must remember that each single house, no matter which,_

_Will surely falter, if unity is but a wish._

_So join hands, though I have none,_

_Even after your journey here is done,_

_And place me upon your head,_

_For I am the Sorting Hat!_

Cheers erupted from the teachers and students.

"Do you see them?" Alexandra asked Fred, looking for James and Louis in the line of first years.

"There," Fred whispered. "See, James is over there in the middle, and Louis is towards the end."

Tiny Professor Flitwick cleared his throat and pulled out a roll of parchment.

"Abbot, Gloria!" he said. A small girl with blonde plats down her back slowly stepped up to the stool, and sat down as Flitwick placed the hat on her head. A moment later, the hat called out "Ravenclaw!" and the Ravenclaw table clapped as she went to join them.

The Sorting went rather quickly, Alexandra thought. A young boy, Falton, Brian, became the first Gryffindor, and a set of twins was both sorted into Slytherin. Peterson, Malcolm had just sat down at the Hufflepuff table when Flitwick called out "Potter, James!"

The hall was suddenly filled with whispers as James sat down and had the hap dropped down over his head.

"Potter? As in Harry Potter?"

"Is that his son?"

"It is! I wonder if he'll be like his dad?"

"Poor bloke," Teddy said under his breath. "He'll be getting crowded in no time."

"Because he's Harry's son?" asked Alanna.

Teddy nodded. "Happens all the time when he goes out, with Albus and Lily as well."

"Does James mind?" asked Alexandra.

"He says he doesn't," Teddy replied. "But you can tell that he'd rather just be known for him, and not what his dad's done."

Meanwhile, the second the Sorting Hat touched James's head, the brim opened up and exclaimed "Gryffindor!"

"Knew it," Teddy roared happily as James rushed over to the table to sit by Teddy. "Of course you'd be a Gryffindor, Jammie!"

"Congratulations," Victoire said, scooting over to sit across from Teddy, causing him to blush briefly. "I just hope Louis will be joining you…"

"Can't wait to write home to my dad," James whispered excitedly, still grinning.

The line began to thin. Tyler, Rinata became a Hufflepuff, and Vincent, Harriet was placed into Slytherin. Finally, Flitwick called "Weasley, Louis," and Louis hesitantly stepped up to the hat.

The hat took a few seconds longer than with James, but it called out "Gryffindor!"

"Brilliant!" Fred said happily. "We're together! Of course, you two will have to listen to me, since you _are _just first-years-"

"Like that will happen," James scoffed.

At last, Zicheria, Maggie became a Ravenclaw, and McGonagall stood up.

"Welcome, to all our new students," she began. "And welcome back to all the old. Our feast will begin in a moment, but right now I have a few start-of-term announcements I need to tend to. First, the Forbidden Forest is off limits to every student. Any student caught going in there will be punished."

"Just won't get caught, will we?" James said softly so that only Fred and Louis could here him, but Alexandra still thought she saw McGonagall give the boys a warning glance.

"Secondly," she continued. "All bags have been checked as they have been brought in from the train. This is the Ministry's order; other checks may be administered if circumstances deem so, but hopefully, the situation will not arise. That is all. Enjoy the feast."

"Why the sudden bag checks?" Alanna asked as plates began to fill in front of them.

"Why do you think," Fred replied, reaching for a bowl of stew. "Because of ol' Wretermoust, isn't it? They'll want to make sure no other student tries to smuggle in a Basilisk egg or something."

"Dad doesn't think it'll help with that at all," James said through bites of roast chicken. "Says the only thing they'll find is a load of Weasley Wizard Wheeze's products. But Kingsley felt like he needed to add some sort of extra security to the school after last year."

"Which one is Wretermoust?" Louis asked.

"That one," Alexandra answered, pointing out Wretermoust over at the Slytherin table. He was hastily spooning potatoes onto his plate.

"Looks like a rat," Louis sneered.

Alexandra nodded in agreement. As Louis went back to his Steak and Kidney Pie, though, Wretermoust head snapped up, and looked directly at Alexandra, sending a series of chills up her spine.

...

AN- sorry for the long wait, I was away visiting family last week, and only just got back today. Did anybody see Deathly Hallows part 2? Amazing, but so sad it's over. Oh, and by the way, for all those who were wondering, J.K. Rowling's announcement that I mentioned a couple of chapters ago is for a new interactive site called Pottermore that will be launched in October.


	6. Chapter 6

After the feast, the students stood up, stuffed from the enormous meal, and set off towards their respective common rooms.

"Shame my mum took all my dungbombs before I got on the train," James sighed. "Figured I could set some off tonight; sort of welcome myself to Hogwarts, you know?"

"My mum took all my Detonators as well," Louis added. "Think Dominique may have tipped her off…Bloody snitch."

Alexandra smiled. James and Louis were certainly going to be an interesting addition.

"Password?" said the portrait of the Fat Lady when the party reached the common room entrance.

"Where's your sister?" Fred asked, turning to Louis. "Prefects have to give us the passwords."

"How should I know? She ran off right after the feast."

"Couldn't you let us in just this once?" Alanna asked. "You know we're Gryffindors."

"Can't take any chances, dear," she replied officially. "I'm sorry, but you'll have to wait for someone to come along with-"

"I've got it, I've got," said Victoire, coming around the corner with Teddy, both of them looking rather flustered. Victoire avoided eye contact with Alexandra; she was still the only one who knew of her and Teddy's secret relationship. "It's _Moondane_."

"Right you are," said the Fat Lady, swinging open.

"Thanks," Alexandra said, climbing through the portrait hole.

"Don't mention it," Victoire said. "Louis, remember to write to mum and dad and tell them you've been sorted into Gryffindor."

"Can't you do it for me?" Louis moaned. "I'm tired."

"Just do it," Victoire said firmly. "You know mum and dad want to hear from each of us separately. James, you should write home as well."

"Fine," James sighed.

"Oh, when you write yours, James, ask your dad if I left my Care of Magical Creatures book there…" Teddy added.

"Sure, whatever," James said.

Victoire and Teddy bid the group goodnight, and started off up their separate staircases.

"I'm going to bed as well," Alanna yawned as James and Louis grabbed a bit of parchment and quills. "Are you coming, Alexandra?"

"In a minute. I'd better write home as well; I promised my dad."

Alanna nodded, and turned towards the staircase up to their shared dormitory as Alexandra quickly scribbled:

_Dad,_

_I arrived at school safe. Everything's good so far; the feast was really excellent. We start classes tomorrow, so hopefully we won't be over-piled with work from the teachers here. I miss you, see you at Christmas!_

_Love, _

_Alexandra_

Alexandra rolled up her letter.

"I'll take it up to the Owlery if you like," Fred offered, still working on his own letter.

"Thanks," she said, handing it over to him. "See you lot in the morning."

She grabbed her bag and ascended up the stairs. When she entered the dormitory, she saw Alanna had already changed into her nightgown, and was just climbing into bed. The other two girls who shared the dormitory with them, Grace Macmillan and Tiffany Finnigan, however, were still fully dressed, and were sitting of Grace's bed, talking in hushed whispers. Alexandra didn't get along well with these girls. They knew all about the way Dudley and his parents had treated Harry when the boys were growing up, and they felt that Alexandra must be awful, since she was Dudley's daughter. They didn't believe her when they said that the cousins had actually managed to set aside their differences. It didn't help matters, either, that last Halloween Alexandra had somehow (she still didn't understand how she did it) shot fire from her wand at them when their taunts became too much. Towards the end of the year, though, Grace did come around and apologized to Alexandra, saying that she believed her about Dudley and Harry, but being loyal to Tiffany, she didn't dare acknowledge her around her best friend.

"I was sort of wishing those two would've been sent to another school or something," Alanna whispered as Alexandra kicked off her shoes. "They're so awful to you."

"I'll be fine," said Alexandra lightly, pulling on her nightgown. "G'night."

She climbed into her four-poster bed and snuggled under the covers.

It felt good to be back at Hogwarts.

….

"Couldn't ask for a worst first day back," Fred said glumly the next morning in the Great Hall. Schedules had just been handed out, and students all around the hall were eagerly comparing theirs to friends.

"What's so bad about it?" asked Alanna, sitting down next to him and reaching for a muffin.

"Double History of Magic, Double Potions, and then Transfiguration. Transfiguration I can survive, but look at our morning!"

"But you're so good at potions," Alexandra reminded him, taking a piece of toast.

"It's Slughorn that I'm not eager about," Fred grumbled. "He'll be on my tail to come to his Slug Club meeting today, no doubt; yours too," he added to the girls.

Slughorn, still ever persistent to surround himself with students that could get him somewhere, had taken a liking to Alexandra because of her distant relationship to Harry, and Alanna, because of her outstanding skill in potion making, something Alexandra lacked.

"What are you all torn about?" James asked Fred, sitting down across from the three with Louis.

"Awful classes," Fred replied. "What about you? What have you got?"

"Potions, Charms, Herbology and History of Magic," Louis said, reading off his own schedule.

"Good luck in potions, James," Fred said sympathetically to his cousin. "Slughorn's all over me just because Harry's my uncle. Can't imagine what he'll be like with his son."

James shrugged, and tried not to look put off by this news, but Alexandra noticed his gaze falter.

"Eh, well, we'll see Neville today," Louis said. "Is History of Magic as boring as Victoire said it was?"

"Dead awful; you'll fall asleep within the first five minutes, guaranteed," Fred nodded.

"I think that class is rather interesting," Alanna defended.

"Yeah, and you're probably the only one who does," Fred said, rolling his eyes. "Even my Aunt Hermione said it's not very exciting, and she passed every exam in that class with flying colors!"

"We'd better get going," Alexandra said, checking her watch. "Class starts in ten minutes."

Alexandra, Alanna and Fred set off towards the History of Magic classroom, while James and Louis headed down to the dungeons for potions.

Alexandra shared Fred's opinion of Professor Binn's class; she found it hard to stop her eyes from drooping, and would usually stop taking notes after the first quarter of the class, only scribbling down a date here or there whenever she broke out of a daydream. Alanna, on the other hand, hung onto every word the ghost uttered, creating timelines and the like throughout the lecture.

"Forgotten how dull Binn's voice was," Fred yawned as the class filed out.

"You didn't find it even a little interesting how the goblin war of 69 A.D. led directly to the first increase in the value of a galleon?"

"You did?" Fred asked, staring bewildered at the girl. "You're crazy, you know that?"

"I have to agree with him, there, Alanna," Alexandra said, wiping the sleep out of her eyes.

Alanna tutted, but said nothing as the trio headed down to the dungeon.

Even though Slughorn's first-year class had gotten out twenty minutes ago, by the time they had made it to the classroom, Louis was only just coming out of the door.

"I just got away," Louis told them. "Slughorn's mad. Jumped on James and I the second we got into that place. You were right, though, Fred; Slughorn's still bombarding James in there, poor bloke."

"He asked you to join the Slug Club then?" Alexandra asked.

"Didn't really give me much of a choice; pretty much told me I was already a member."

"Tough luck, mate," Fred said. "Well, with any luck, Slughorn will be so distracted by James that he won't pay attention to us."

Louis nodded, and then turned to head back up to Charms.

Fred, Alexandra and Alanna opened the door and headed in. Just as Louis had told them, Slughorn had cornered James and was chatting with the boy as if they were old friends.

"Yes, I remember this one potion your father whipped up in my class, nearly up to the standard of a professional working with the Ministry; and he was only sixteen! Now, does your father ever use his gift with potion-making in his work as an Aurror?"

"Er, no, actually it's more wand work," James said, giving the trio a look that clearly said 'help me'.

"I would think as much, though I would've thought at some point…Oh, well, I-"

"Um, Professor Slughorn," said Alanna.

Slughorn turned around. "Oh, Ms. Broklyn, I didn't here you and Dursley and Weasley come in. I suppose I was too immersed with my conversation with Mr. Potter."

"Sorry, sir, but I was just wondering if you could take a look at my cauldron before we got started with the lesson; I think the bottom is beginning to ware, and I'd hate for anything to leak out of it."

"Yes, that would be a disaster," Slughorn nodded, clapping his chubby hands together. "Let's have a look then…if you'll excuse me, James."

"I have to get to Charms anyway, Professor," he said quickly.

"Oh, yes, I guess you'd better be off then. I'll see you at the first meeting of the Slug Club tonight, yes? You three are invited as well, of course."

"Yes, sir," James said, turning to leave, mouthing a quick 'thank you' at Alanna before he left.

"Well, I don't think I see anything wrong with this cauldron," Slughorn said, examining Alanna's cauldron. "The bottom seems in perfectly good shape…"

"Sorry, professor. My mistake."

Once the rest of the class arrived, Slughorn gave them a quick, heartfelt welcome back, and then instructed the class to begin brewing a rather complex potion that required two days of class to complete.

"You'll only get to step seven today," Slughorn told his class. "So take care to shut the lids on your cauldron's or the potion will be absolutely useless next lesson."

"Any ideas on how we can get out of going to the Slug Club tonight?" Fred asked in an undertone as him and the girls began to dice their armadillo spleen.

"We could always say we were sick," Alanna suggested.

"All three of us? He'd know something was up," Alexandra pointed out.

"Well, maybe we should just go," said Alanna. "It won't be so bad, will it? At least there will be food in any case."

"I guess it's our only choice," Fred said, sighing in defeat. "My dad said he'd send me some new types of Detonator's soon. Who knows, they might arrive before the meeting tonight!"

As the lesson progressed, Alexandra was having more and more difficulty trying to keep her potion at bay. It was supposed to be a violet color by the time she added her Hippogriff tears, but it was more a maroon color.

"Add a few more palm leaves," Alanna whispered, trying to help. She had already gotten to where she needed to be for the day and had sealed her own potion.

"I already added two more ounces than I was supposed to," Alexandra whispered back.

"Then try a bit more goat bile," Fred suggested. "Maybe that will help with the color. Other than that it doesn't look too bad." He too had already closed his cauldron and was done.

Unfortunately, just as Alexandra was going to act on Fred's advice, Slughorn announced the end of class.

"Just place your cauldron's to the side," Slughorn said as the students scrambled to get their bags. Alexandra looked around everyone else was done; she still had one more step.

"Er, professor," she said, raising her hand tentatively. "Um, could I possibly stay a few minutes? I still have to stir in my fig."

"Well, yes, I suppose," he said. "Please do try to hurry; I'll have my fifth years in here soon."

"Go on," Alexandra said to Fred and Alanna. "I'll meet you in Transfiguration."

Alexandra tried to complete the potion as quickly as possible, as to not have to endure any conversations with Slughorn about her father and Harry's relationship. Still, it took nearly fifteen minutes for her to finally finish, at which time students in the next class were already coming in.  
>"Thank you, professor," Alexandra said, hurriedly placing her cauldron off to the side.<p>

"No problem, my dear. I daresay I'll see you tonight?"

"Yes, wouldn't miss it," she said, forcing a smile onto her face as she rushed out of the classroom. If she ran she could still make it to Transfiguration on time…

"Long time no see," said a voice behind her that she knew only too well. She turned to see Wretermoust leaning against the wall, staring at her.

"Leave me alone," she said shakily.

"Get my parcel I sent you?"

"Your parcel? What do you- Wait, you sent me that newspaper article?"

"Thought I'd give you a bit of a look on what my side sees," he said, grinning that horrible grin.

"Your way is wrong," she said with every bit of courage she could muster.

"I wouldn't be so sure," Wretermoust said in a singsong voice, clearly mocking her. "Forgotten what I told you last year? We're more alike than-"

"Stop saying that!" Alexandra cried. "Stop it! I don't know what you think you're talking about, but I am _not_ like you. I'm good, you're Dark."

"People change."

"Well then hopefully you'll do so," Alexandra said sharply. "Because it certainly won't be me."

"How was your summer?" Wretermoust asked, catching Alexandra by surprise. "Do you enjoy spending it with just your father?"

"I-How'd-" she stammered. But Wretermoust simply turned and headed the other way.

Alexandra stood there, completely dumbfounded. How could he have possibly known she only lived with her father?


	7. Chapter 7

"You're late, Ms. Dursley," Professor Turnwise remarked as Alexandra skidded into class.

"Sorry, Professor," she panted, trying to catch her breath. "Won't happen again."

"I should hope not. Go on and take your seat. We were just discussing the fundamentals of transfiguring beetles into cockroaches…"

"Wretermoust knows about my dad," she whispered to Fred and Alanna when Turnwise had turned back to the blackboard.

"What?" they whispered back, confused looks creeping onto their faces.

"He knows I just live with my dad! I saw him the corridor after I left Slughorn's class; that's why I was late! He asked me if I enjoyed spending it with just my dad!"

"Well, Alexandra, I'm sure it's nothing," Alanna said logically. "He's just trying to spook you. Remember last year when he knew it was your birthday when you didn't tell him? I'm sure he's just got good ears, that's it."

"Yeah, the snake's probably been lurking around eavesdropping on all sorts of people, not just you," Fred told her. "Tries to get in everyone's business…"

"I will now be passing out beetles for you to practice on!" Professor Turnwise said loudly. "I expect that you will at least be able to get the body to become more narrow, if you can't quite get the entire transformation. I'd take care to put your best effort forth on this, there's a good chance it will be on the exam at the end of the year!"

Alexandra managed to get her beetle to resemble a cockroach towards the end off class, which was quite lucky, she thought, considering that her mind was still trying to sort out her encounter with Wretermoust.

"I can't believe I actually did it!" said Alanna happily as the three filed out of the classroom and headed to the Great Hall for dinner. She was not very good with wand work, although today she had been one of the first to successfully transfigure her insect.

"You must be getting better with your wand," Alexandra told her.

"I'm just glad mine finally stopped trying to crawl up my sleeve," Fred said, shuttering at the thought.

"Are you scared of cockroaches?" Alanna asked, grinning.

"I'm not _scared_ of them," he defended. "I just try to avoid them if I can. My dad gave me a cockroach cluster when I was five, told me it was a peanut cluster…"

Alanna and Alexandra tried to stifle giggles as they sat down at the Gryffindor table.

"That ghost really knows how to make a bloke black out," James yawned, sitting down across from Fred. "History of Magic is by far the worst class I've had."

"You've only had four classes so far," Alanna said.

"Yeah, but at least they didn't put me to sleep," Louis muttered, sitting down next to James.

"Herbology was the best, though," James continued. "Neville let us look at these plants that had blue thorns all over them…And this one tulip nearly took my finger off; it was awesome! And then we-"

"Um, excuse us," a group a third year Hufflepuffes said, tapping James on the shoulder. "Are you Harry Potter's son?"

"Er," James said, looking rather uncomfortable. "Yes."

The girls broke into a giggle. "Is it true that when he was in school here, he was chosen to play for the Gryffindor Quidditch team when he was only a first year? Is it true that he was the youngest Seeker in a century?"

"Well, yes," James said. Alexandra couldn't help but feel sorry for him.

"Does your dad still have his lightning bolt scar?"

"No," Fred snapped, stepping in. "It just fell off one day in the shower."

The girls frowned at him. Turning up their noses, though, they finally left.

"Thanks," James said gratefully, spooning a pile of peas onto his plate.

"Eh, don't mention it," Fred shrugged. "Honestly, does he still have the scar…and they made it this far? Surprised they haven't been kicked out yet for being blustering idiots!"

"That's nothing," James said, returning to his old manner. "One time when we went to Diagon Alley, these witches all started swarming dad asking if he'd touch their hair! Mum threatened to hex them all, though."

"Sounds rough," Alanna said.

"You get used to it," James shrugged. "But anyway, back to what I was saying about Herbology…"

….

"I'm going to be the Seeker for England when I grow up," Lily Potter said happily, zooming through the Potter's backyard on her broomstick. "Let the Snitch go again for me, daddy!"

"Alright, but this is the last time, okay Lil; it's getting dark out and your mum will have dinner ready soon." He released the tiny gold ball from his hand and watched his daughter chase after it.

"She could give you a run for your money," Ron commented as Lily performed a sort of loop-the-loop.

"Yeah, reckon she could," Harry replied, grinning. "We did this for about three hours last night. Looks like she'll be playing with her cousins at Christmas this year."

Harry and Ron were sitting at the small outdoor table, drinking butterbeer. Ginny was cooking in the kitchen, and Albus was inside trading Chocolate Frog cards with Rose and Hugo.

Suddenly there was a loud screech, and a large owl came flying into the yard, dropping a letter onto Harry's lap.

"It's from James," Harry said, recognizing the tawny owl he had bought for his son. He opened the letter. "Excellent! He's in Gryffindor!"

"Can't say I'm surprised," Ron said, taking a sip of his drink. "Did he say anything about Louis?"

"Yeah, he's been put in Gryffindor as well. Let's see… he asked me to send him the Dungbombs Ginny took from his trunk before he left, said that the castle's bigger than he thought, he can't wait to start learning spells, wants to know the best way to sneak out of the castle after hours, blimey, he's lucky Ginny didn't get her hands on this."

"Are you going to tell him how to sneak out then?" Ron asked, grinning.

"Reckon I'll let him figure that out on his own," Harry laughed. "I'm sure he'll know at least one way by the end of the week. Anyway," he said, his voice becoming serious. "I'm just glad he didn't mention anything about students bombarding him. I know how much he hates when he's only known as 'Harry Potter's Son', and he's right; it's not fair. Remember that time Teddy took him that Cannons game? Teddy told me that James met a group of boys there and was trying to talk to them, but all they wanted to hear about was whether or not I ever told him what Voldemort looked like!"

"I know mate, it's rough," Ron said. "But James will handle it; that kid's tough. Besides, I'm sure his cousins and Teddy will look after him. Neville and Hagrid as well. And you know Hell will freeze over before McGonagall treats him any different than another student."

"That's true," Harry nodded. "You're right, he'll be fine."

"Caught it!" Lily exclaimed, holding the snitch in her raised hand. "How long was that, daddy?"

"Three minutes, nineteen seconds," Harry answered, looking at his watch as Lily landed. "I bet you by next summer you'll be beating my time!"

"Really?"

"Dinners ready, you lot," Ginny said, coming outside. "Lily, go watch up."

"Okay, mum."

"Oh, did James write us?" Ginny asked spotting the owl.

"Er, yes," Harry said, slipping the parchment into his pocket before Ginny saw it. "He said he likes the school so far and has been sorted into Gryffindor, Louis as well."

"Can I see the letter."

"Ah, you know what? Ron here spilled butterbeer all over it! Smeared the ink and everything."

Ron's eyes narrowed at Harry, but he said nothing.

"Nice going, Ron," Ginny said, smacking the back of her brother's head. "Well, I supposed we'll write back after dinner."

"Thanks a lot," Ron snapped once Ginny had gone back inside, massaging his head.

"Sorry, mate," Harry laughed.


	8. Chapter 8

"You'll need to be very quick when repotting these," Neville said to his second-year Herbology class. "These flowers will take any opportunity they can get to try to bite a finger. Your dragon hide gloves will protect you, though, but still use caution."

"These make those Gripping Thorn Vines we worked with last week seem tame," Alanna muttered as she snatched her finger away from the vicious flower just in time.

"Speak for yourself; you didn't get whacked across the face with one," Fred said, running a finger over the small scar on his cheek. "Alexandra, have you added enough fertilizer to the pot yet? Alexandra?"

"Hm?" Alexandra replied, snapping back to reality. "Oh, sorry. I think I just need to add another scoop…"

She had been distracted, glaring over at Wretermoust. Herbology was the only class Gryffindor had with Slytherin. Alexandra was still feeling rather uneasy around him.

"Alexandra, stop worrying about it," Alanna said to her friend, noticing the direction she had been staring in. "So he knew you just live with your father? Is that really so frightening?"

"It's the fact that he _did_ know that's getting to me," she said quietly. "How? How would he have known?"

"We've been over this," Fred said. "He probably just heard you talking in the corridor-"

"But I've never said I _only_ lived with my dad," Alexandra cut him off. "Sure, I've probably mentioned my dad in the corridor more than a few times, but you can't assume just from that that he's the only parent I live with, can you?"

"Wait a minute," Fred said thoughtfully. "Do you think Slughorn would know?"

"Slughorn?" Alexandra repeated. "Well, maybe. I'm sure the teachers would have access to that sort of information but how does that-"

"Of course!" Alanna exclaimed. "Alexandra, Slughorn's head of the Slytherin house. He must have mentioned in the common room or something and Wretermoust just happened to over hear it and decided to use it get under your skin!"

"Yeah, Slughorn isn't exactly careful about what kind of information he lets slip," Fred said. He lowered his voice. "My dad told me that Uncle Harry told him that Slughorn taught while Voldemort was still at school here; said that apparently he told Voldemort about something that helped him become so-well, you know. Wouldn't tell me what it was, or anything else, but still."

"He let something slip to Voldemort?" Alanna whispered in horror. "Why would anyone tell anything to that man? He must've been awful even back in school."

"He went by Tom Riddle in school," Alexandra said without thinking. "They say that he was charming and a model student while he was here."

"How did you know that?" Fred asked, frowning. "You're right, my dad told me all that, but not a lot of people know it."  
>"I think Albus might have mentioned it to me," she lied quickly. Truthfully, she had read about it in <em>The Era's Darkest Wizards and their Downfall<em>.

Fred nodded, and went back to the plant.

"Anyway," Alanna said, returning to the subject of Wretermoust. "I'm sure that's all that happened, Alexandra. Wretermoust is just trying to make you think he's cleverer than he really is."

"Yeah, I suppose you're right," she said distantly. She turned to take one last look at Wretermoust. In her heart, though, she wasn't so sure.

….

After lessons that day, James wanted to go down to visit Hagrid. Fred, Louis, Alexandra and Alanna all agreed that they hadn't seen the gentle giant in some time, so after they finished their dinners, they set off towards his hut.

"Look, there's Buckbeak!" James said, spotting the Hippogriff lounging in the pumpkin patch.

"You know him?" Alanna asked.

"I've never seen him before," James replied. "But I've heard about him. My dad and Aunt Hermione flew on him when they were thirteen."

"Why does Hagrid call him Witherwings?" Alexandra asked.

"Because the Ministry was supposed to execute Buckbeak a long time ago," James explained. "Because he attacked a student, though the student provoked him just to try to get Hagrid in trouble. But Sirius Black, my dad's godfather, ended up taking him into hiding with him. Hagrid got him back after he died.."

"Thought I heard you lot," Hagrid said, poking his head out his front door. "Come in, I just made some fresh rock cakes."

"Hey there, Fang," Fred said to Hagrid's large dog, who was laying on Hagrid's massive bed.

"Easy there with him," Hagrid said. "Fang's been feelin' a bit peaky for the last couple weeks. Neville's been growin' a plant that's supposed to be real good when eatin' raw."

"Hagrid, er, how old is Fang?" Alanna asked softly.

"I'd say about thirty years old," Hagrid said offhandedly. "Heart of a lil' puppy, though."

Alexandra and Alanna shared knowing looks, but said nothing.

"Aunt Hermione wanted me to ask you if you've seen Grawp lately," James told Hagrid, biting down hard on one of the cakes and trying to hide his wince of pain.

"Oh Grawpy? He's doin' great! I reckon he's finally found himself a mate, about bloody time too. Just wen' out ter visit him before the start of term."

"Er, Grawp?" Alexandra asked.

"Me half brother," Hagrid replied. "Took a great likin' to Hermione."

"Think you could take us into the forest?" Fred asked Hagrid.

"I mos' certainly cannot!" he exclaimed. "You heard McGonagall, it's off limits!"

"Come on," James said, looking out at the vast forest. "We just want to see what's in there."

"Yeah, is it true that there's werewolves out there?" Louis asked. "And banshees?"

"Doesn't matter what's in there," Hagrid said firmly. "Point is, yer not allowed in there."

"But-" James started.

"And don't you take a leaf out of your father's book and sneak in there," Hagrid said, pointing a sausage sized finger at him.

"Fine," James muttered.

"Now then, it's nearly curfew," Hagrid said, looking out at the darkening sky. "You'd best get into the common room before your caught by another teacher. Listen," he said, seeing James, Fred and Louis's disappointed faces. "Alright, maybe, maybe I'll take you in next weekend."

"You will!" Fred said excitedly.

"I'll think about it. I have to go in anyway and try to find some Nifflers for me fourth years. Besides, there's nothin' in there that will hurt you if yer with me. Just don't let me catch you ever goin' in there alone."

"Never," Louis said. "Excellent, thanks Hagrid!"

"Yeah, yeah. And don't you go blabbing this out fer the whole school to hear. Now go on, get back up ter the castle."

Louis, James and Fred all waved and started out the door, talking animatedly about what they hoped to find in the forest. Alexandra and Alanna were about to follow, but Hagrid placed a hand on each of their shoulders and whispered so only they could hear, "keep an eye on those three. Don't let them do anythin' stupid, alright?"

The girls nodded, and then hurried up to catch up with the boys, who were now discussing Quidditch.

"Try-outs are in two days," Fred was saying. "I think tomorrow I may go down to the pitch and practice. You going to try out too, Alanna?"

"I don't think so," Alanna replied.

"You should," Alexandra encouraged her best friend.

"You were bloody brilliant when you played at Easter," James said.

Alanna had accompanied Alexandra over to the Burrow last Easter, where after much persuasion, she joined in a game of Quidditch. She turned out to be quite good, even though she had no background in the sport.

"I've only played one game though," Alanna reasoned. "I don't think I'd stand a chance against other students who have been playing their whole lives."

"But you're a natural!" Louis exclaimed. "Doesn't matter how much experience you've got. James's dad had never played a single game of Quidditch, but he got chosen to play Seeker on the team his first year here."

"I'm still not sure," Alanna sighed. "Besides, I haven't got a broom or anything."

"You can borrow a broom from the school," Fred said quickly. "They're not the best, but they'll get the job done. What do you say? How about you just come and practice with me tomorrow and see if you like it? We'll go before breakfast so no one will be out there. Alexandra can be play as a Keeper, and James and Louis can play as Beaters."

"Alright," Alanna sighed. "I'll go out tomorrow and then decide."

"Excellent," Fred grinned. "Now then, are we honestly going to go back to the common room when I've got these?" He pulled out a small bag of star-shaped little balls.

"What are they?" Alexandra asked.

"Ricochet Rascals," Fred answered. "Dad's testing them out; asked me to see if they're up to his standards. They're not dangerous," he added. "All they do is bounce around and make a bunch of noise, and they're nearly impossible to try to stop; you have to wait for the spell to wear off."

"We can set them off near the dungeons," James said mischievously. "That way the teachers will think the Slytherins did it; their common room's right there. Too bad my dad still hasn't sent my dungbombs like I asked…"


	9. Chapter 9

"We should have a good hour before anybody else comes out here," Fred said. He had his broomstick swung over one shoulder, and held one end of a trunk that contained one bludger and a quaffle while James held the other.

"I'm still not sure I want to do this," Alanna said, nervously toying with the old Shooting Star that she had borrowed from the school.

"But didn't you have fun playing Quidditch at the Burrow last year?" Alexandra asked.

"Well, yes. It was great, but-"

"Then there you go," James said, setting down the trunk. "If you liked it there, then you'll like it here too."

"I suppose," Alanna sighed in defeat. "But I'm still a little rusty on the rules. How much is each goal worth?"

"Ten," Fred replied. "But that's not important right now, I'll give you a crash course right before try-outs. For now just worry about getting the quaffle through the rings. Oh, and avoiding the bludgers; those can really hurt…"

Louis unlocked the trunk, and un-strapped the bludger, which immediately shot into the air, and tossed the quaffle to Fred.

"Right, Alexandra, you go up by the rings and try to keep Alanna and I from scoring," Fred instructed. "Louis and James will fly around and try to knock us off."

Alanna looked a little unsure about this, but nodded.

"Okay then, lets go!" James exclaimed, picking up a Beater's bat and mounting his Shooting Star, also borrowed from the school.

Alanna, Fred and Louis also mounted their brooms quickly and flew up into the air. Alexandra, who had only been on a broom once during a flying lesson last year, managed to get her broom mounted after four tries, and when she finally did, it was all she could do to keep her balance as she flew towards the goals to Keep.

Alexandra had only seen a few Quidditch games at school last year, but she could still tell that Alanna was an excellent player, Fred as well. James and Louis also seemed to feel at home on their broomsticks. She watched as Fred tossed the quaffle to Alanna, who then swerved to avoid a bludger hit by Louis, and zoomed towards the goal. Alexandra knew she wouldn't make a good Keeper, and she was right; Alanna easily got the quaffle past her.

"There you go!" Fred called to Alanna. "Told you, you're a pretty fair Chaser!"

Alanna grinned as Alexandra tossed the quaffle back to her, congratulating her friend.

The five played for nearly an hour. About halfway through Fred and James switched positions, and James scored nearly twenty goals himself. Alanna had scored about ten, and Fred twelve. Alexandra surprised herself a few times and managed to block some shots, but at the end of the game, she knew that she was far more comfortable on the ground, and she was perfectly content with that.

"So, how about it?" Fred asked Alanna, grinning as James and Louis wrestled to get the bludger back in the trunk. "Think you'll come to try-outs? You were bloody brilliant today."

"Well, maybe," Alanna said thoughtfully. "I guess it wouldn't hurt to just try-out…though I probably won't make the team."

"Are you mad? Of course you will!" Alexandra said. "You made nearly every shot you took. Granted, the Keeper at try-outs will definitely be better than me, but you'll still do great."

Alanna smiled.

"Keeper's one of the worst positions," Fred told Alexandra. "You have three giant rings to protect; not too many wizards are good at it, as Uncle Ron reminds us all the time…"

….

"What was that thing about Vampires and garlic? Do I have to eat it?" Fred asked, pouring over his Defense Against the Dark Arts homework.

"No, you don't," Alexandra answered. "You need to have it _on_ you, the aroma wards them off." Defense Against the Dark Arts was easily her best subject, although she suspected that James would pass her up soon, even though he was a year younger, but seeing as his dad _was_ an Aurror, that was to be expected.

"Thanks," he said, scribbling this bit of information down. "Alright, that finishes that up. Now all I have left to do is that History of Magic rubbish, and how in the world do you already have that much written?" He looked over at Alanna, who was working on her own History of Magic essay, which was nearly a foot of parchment already.

"Well the Goblin Revolution of 1383 _was_ one of the biggest milestones of the fourteenth century," she said, not even looking up. "It took me over five inches just to accurately describe the Battle of Filmar…"

"The essay's only supposed to be ten inches," he said, slightly disgusted. "And your writing is _tiny_."

"Ten inches, I thought it was eight!" Alexandra moaned. "Damn, now I've got to go back and add some things…"

"Can I just copy yours?" Fred asked Alanna. "I'll rephrase a few things and Binns will never know the difference."

"You can _borrow_ my notes and write your own essay from them," she replied. "Seeing as all you've got to go on is the hangman game you played."

"That was a good game, wasn't it, Alexandra?" he said, grinning. "Nearly won it, but I forgot how to spell 'Remember'…"

"Yes, well, I still managed to jot a few things down," Alexandra said, opening her bag to search for her notes.

"Hey, have you heard?" Teddy said, coming over to the round table where the three were working.

"Heard what?" Fred asked.

"Suspect it will be in the _Prophet_ tomorrow, but Harry's just sent me an owl…There was an attack at the Ministry today!"

"An attack?" Alanna repeated, dropping her quill. "By who?"

"Two blokes wearing masks. They caught them, but they still don't know who they are. Once the Aurrors cornered them, they knew the game was up, so they snapped their own wands. It'll make it hell of a lot harder to identify them, but Harry reckons Hermione and her department will have it done within a few days."

"Was anybody hurt?" Alexandra asked gravely.

"Yeah," Teddy sighed. "A hit wizard was killed, and about a half dozen more workers are in St. Mungo's."

"Are Uncle Harry, Uncle Ron and Aunt Hermione and granddad alright?" Fred asked urgently.

"Well, Harry has a slight concussion, but he refuses to get it checked, says it's fine, but hopefully he'll at least let Ginny look at it, and the others are alright."

"What did the attackers want?" Alexandra questioned. "I mean, you don't just walk into the Ministry and start setting spells off for no reason, do you?"

"Not sure," Teddy shrugged. "Maybe they just wanted attention, money, power, who knows."

"Has James heard?" asked Fred.

Teddy nodded. "Harry wrote him as well. Told everybody to just keep calm about it right now."

"An attack on the Ministry," Alanna breathed as Teddy walked away. "That's-that's just terrible."

Alexandra nodded.

It was strange, though, she thought to herself. Why go to the trouble of snapping your wand just to avoid getting identified? They would get the same punishment even if the Ministry could put a name to them, so why destroy the only weapon they had? She could only think of one type of person who would go to such lengths to conceal his identity; a person who was working for someone else, much more powerful than him…

…

"I made you some tea," Ginny said as Harry walked through the front door of their home. "And added some honey as well, just like you like."

"Thanks," Harry said gratefully, accepting the cup from her as he sat down next to her on the couch. "Had to take the underground home; Kingsley still has all Floo Networks in the Ministry turned off, and he's made it so nobody can apperate to or from the building."

"I-I heard there was a death," she said softly.

"Hector Locklear," Harry sighed. "Just started work in Magical Law Enforcement. I didn't know him very well, but Hermione did, and she's pretty torn up about it. He was only twenty two." He put the cup down. "And Amelia Midlon, that Obliviator you were talking to at the Christmas party last year, is sitting in St. Mungo's unconscious from a powerful Stunning Spell. She just got back from maternity leave."

"It's awful," Ginny said sadly. "Have you had any luck with the wands?"

"Hermione reckons that she can mend them at least back to their superficial makings; won't be able to do anymore magic, but that's all Ollivander will need to tell us whose wands they are. I don't really give a damn what their names are, though, they'll still be shipped off to Azkaban all the same."

"They deserve it. Why would someone in their right mind do something like this? Just to kill?"

"I think it was bigger than that," Harry said, sighing deeply. "Ron and I were one of the fist on the scene. As soon as they saw us, one bloke rose his wand and pointed it in the room next to him. It was the file room, where we keep records on all the prisoners in Azkaban. They were all destroyed. We have no record of anybody's sentencing now, or who's out on parole."

"There's no way of mending the damage?"

"Kingsley's going to have to draw up the old court records from the hearings," Harry said. "He's going to have to re-process everything by hand. We're just lucky we had those down in the courtrooms."

"It's just such a shame that this happened," Ginny said, wiping a tear from her eye. "All those innocent people…"

"I'm going to make sure this gets fixed," Harry told her. "Make sure those bastards rot in Azkaban."

"I know you will," Ginny said. "But just don't think you have to do it alone. Now come here."

"Why?"

"You know darn well why. If you're not going to let the doctors at St. Mungo's look at your concussion, at least let your wife."

"Gin, I'm fine-"

"Then why do you have a Snitch-sized bump on the base of your skull?"

"I'll be fine," he said. "I just got hit in one of the explosions, fell back into the wall, that's all."

"At least let me get you a potion to help the pain. For me," she added as he opened his moth to argue.

"Okay," he conceded.

"And Lily and Albus know about the attack as well," she said, going into the kitchen. "They were worried about you. I highly doubt they're sleeping up in their rooms…"

Harry nodded, and started up the steps.


	10. Chapter 10

At breakfast the next morning, everybody seemed to know about the attack at the Ministry. It was all anybody was talking about as Alexandra, Alanna and Fred sat down at the Gryffindor table.

"People must've read the _Prophet_," Fred said, grabbing a pastry. "Blimey, the teachers look pretty stirred up about it."

Alexandra looked up at the teacher's table, and saw Professor McGonagall engaged in a deep discussion with Professor Flitwick and Professor Longbottom.

"Where are James and Louis?" Alanna asked.

"In the owlery; James is trying to get more information out of his dad about the attack, he promised to tell us anything he found out."

"I hope he finds out something," Alexandra said, looking over a copy of the _Prophet_ that a student had left lying on the table. "The paper barely says anything, only that they don't know the names of the wizards that did it, and there was a death. We knew that already."

"Look over at the Slytherin table," Fred said in a low whisper. "That lot doesn't seem too upset by the news."

Alexandra glanced over at the far table and saw the he was right. Unlike the other three tables, most of the students from the Slytherin house weren't bunched together talking in worried whispers, looking absolutely horrified. They looked calm and collect.

"Bet some of them know exactly who those wizards were; their parents probably told them."

"Why would their parents know?" asked Alanna, frowning.

"You know how after Voldemort died, his supporters, the Death Eaters, went to Azkaban?"

"Sure."

"Well," Fred said. "Not all of the Death Eaters were caught. Most of them were, of course, but some of the ones who stayed clear of the battle here managed to escape. Few of them probably had kids that ended up being sorted you-know-where."

"So you think that some of those Death Eaters are behind it?" Alexandra asked in a hushed voice.

"I don't know, they could be," Fred said. "That's what I would put my money on, anyway."

"Well, Teddy said that they could hopefully manage to identify the wizards soon," said Alanna. "Hopefully that won't be the case. I couldn't imagine having Death Eaters running around."

"Neither could I," Alexandra nodded in agreement.

_The Era's Darkest Wizards and their Downfall _had mentioned many Death Eaters: Alecto and Amycus Carrow, Antonin Dolohov, Walden Macnair…they all seemed awful. Especially one woman, Bellatrix Lestrange. Her hair was wilder than her own, and her face…her face was downright terrifying.

"Just sent my dad an owl," James said, taking a seat next to Fred, pulling Alexandra out of her thoughts. "Hopefully he'll get back to me by tomorrow. I also sent one to Albus and Lily; told them to use those Extendable Ears in my room to try to find something out. Albus will probably chicken out, but I reckon Lil might get me something."

"Hope so, bloody _Prophet_ hasn't told us a damn thing," Fred mumbled.

….

"No luck?" Harry asked Ron as he walked into their shared office.

"None of them said a thing," Ron exclaimed, throwing his file down on his desk. "Looked at me the whole time with the same damn expression! Could've been talking to a wall for all it was worth. Are you going down there?"

"Yeah, I am, only hopefully I'll know who they are by then. Hermione just sent a Patronus up here; she's mended the wands as much as possible so they're at least recognizable. She's down at Ollivander's now."

"Brilliant. Can't believe they've held their tongues this long."

"They're protecting somebody," Harry sighed. "I just wish I knew _who_."

"We'll find out soon enough, mate," Ron said. "Kingsley's just got a shipment of Veritaserum an hour ago. Can't believe our whole supply got destroyed in all that yesterday. Think they planned for that?"

"Wouldn't surprise me," Harry replied. "Where is Kingsley, anyway? Haven't seen him all day."

"He's already in the courtroom digging up the old records."

"Good," Harry nodded. "Once we figure out whose records got destroyed, we'll be able to narrow down who they're working for, since I highly doubt the Veritaserum will work. You remember last year; Claridina Wretermoust practically told us that she was lying to us after drinking it. Hey, do you suppose-"

"Her file wasn't in that room," Ron said, realizing where Harry was going with this.

"She still might have something to do with it," Harry said, jumping up. "Think about it, Ron. Before she was arrested, she manipulated about a dozen men into going on missions just like this one. And remember the last bloke to be caught tried to snap his wand? Luckily he was disarmed first, but don't you see? It could be the same thing!"

"But what would she be after," Ron said. "She doesn't have any family in Azkaban or on parole. It's just her and her son. And she doesn't exactly seem the type to ruin someone's criminal record just to be nice."

"I don't know yet," Harry said thoughtfully.

"Harry!" Hermione said, running, out of breath, into the office. "Ollivander just told me whose wands these were!"

"Whose?" Harry and Ron asked in unison.

"It's really strange," Hermione continued. "I don't understand it at all, it can't be possible, they would have had to…Oh, it's terrible!"

"Whose wands are they?" Harry repeated.

"One wand belongs to Bertha Jorkins, that-that witch Voldemort killed right before the World Cup when we were fourteen."

"But-but she's been dead for ages," Ron said, frowning. "And no wand was ever recovered from her body."

"So we can't identify them," Harry said slowly.

"I know," Hermione said shakily. "But-but that's not what's so odd."

"What about the other wand then," Harry asked.

"Harry," she said softly. "I have no idea how they could've gotten it."

"Whose wand was it, Hermione?"

Hermione took a deep breath. "Sirius Black's."


	11. Chapter 11

"I-what? How could it be Sirius's wand?" Harry asked, absolutely flabbergasted.

"I don't know, Harry," Hermione said gently. "But Ollivander is positive it's his."

"Sirius's wand was with him when he fell through the arch in the Department of Mysteries when he-when he died. Nobody has ever been through there and come out alive. Ever."

"You're right, that's what so odd," Hermione said. "I'm going to go down to try to talk to Roberta from the department, and hopefully she'll be able to help-"

"Can I have the wands?" Harry asked abruptly.

"Oh, yes, okay," said Hermione, digging for them in her bag. "But what are you going to go with them?"

Harry didn't answer her right away. He stared at the familiar wand, seeing Sirius's face in his mind.

"I'm going to get some answers," he said finally.

"But the Veritaserum isn't here yet," Ron said.

"I don't need it, it wouldn't help anyway," Harry said, stuffing the wands in his pocket. He hurried out of his office and down to the interrogation room where the two men were being held. After passing the two Aurrors stationed at the door, he walked into the room.

They looked to be in their mid-forties, both large and muscular. They sat at the table, hands folded, looking straight ahead. They didn't even make any indication that they realized Harry had entered.

"We've mended your wands back to their superficial structures," Harry said, sitting down in the chair across from the men. "Can't perform any magic, still, but Ollivander was able to identify them."

The wizards didn't even blink.

"Of course, you'll know that didn't help us find out who you are," Harry continued. "Since you stole the wands. This one," he took out a long, maple wand. "Belonged to Bertha Jorkins, did you know her? She's been dead for over twenty years. Murdered, by Voldemort."

At last, the two men's poker faces were discarded for the slightest second, as they both cringed at the name.

Harry noticed this. Not many people still feared saying Voldemort's name. The only ones who did, he knew, were the ones who had been on his side…

"But that's not what's really got me," Harry went on. He took out Sirius's wand, and gingerly laid it on the table. "This wand belonged to Sirius Black. He was killed right here in the Ministry down in the Department of Mysteries. Only his body _and wand_ were lost; fell through the veil. Now my question is," he spoke clearly and authoritatively. "How did you get his wand?"

Still, the men remained silent.

"Did you somehow manage to get through the veil and come back alive?" Harry demanded, losing his patience.

Nothing.

"You're going to Azkaban for the rest of your lives, you do realize?" he said, standing up, looking down on them. "Doesn't matter if we never find out your names, or who you're working for. If you want to save your own skins and shave a few years off that sentence, you had better tell us who sent you here to attack the Ministry and how you got those wands!"

The men stared straight ahead, as though Harry wasn't talking at all.

"Fine," Harry said, grabbing the wands from the table. "You'll go to Azkaban, be destroyed by the dementors, and die a cold, empty shell. Is that really worth defending your leader for?"

For the first time, the man on the right looked right in Harry's eye. "Yes, Mr. Potter," he said in a raspy voice. "Yes it is."

….

"It looks like it's going to rain," Alanna said nervously as her, Alexandra, Fred, James and Louis headed out to the Quidditch pitch after breakfast for the Gryffindor team try-outs. "Shouldn't they cancel the try-outs?"

"They wouldn't cancel Quidditch because of a bit of rain," Fred said, rolling his eyes. "They've played games in ninety mile-per-hour winds before, though they were on professional leagues, mind you."

"Besides, the storm doesn't look like it'll come through for at least another couple of hours," Alexandra said, glancing up at the gray sky. "And I'm sure try-outs will be done by then."

"Let's go get seats," James told Louis and Alexandra as Fred and Alanna headed over to the group of students also trying out.

"Who's been made captain this year?" Louis asked.

"According to Teddy, Savannah Wood," James replied, nodding to a tall, blonde girl standing at the head of the group. "She plays Keeper. Her dad plays for Puddlemere United. He was captain when my dad was in school."

"Looks like they're starting," Alexandra said, noticing Savannah fly up to the middle of the field, as well as about half of the students. "Why are Fred and Alanna and all the others going by the benches?"

"She's probably looking at Seekers," James told her.

"Teddy should've tried out," Louis said. "He's a pretty good Seeker."

"He said he's more of a Beater, which is true. He nearly broke my nose with a bludger last summer…"

The Seeker try-outs lasted for about an hour. In the end, Savannah picked a forth year boy, Sawyer Charmichele, and then the students trying for Chaser mounted their brooms.

Savannah flew to the goal posts, and instructed the Chasers to form a line and when their turn came, they were to fly with the team's remaining Chaser from the previous year, a fifth year boy named Daniel Colmon, pass the quaffle a few times, avoid bludgers from the team's two Beaters, Michela and Samual Abrams, and try to take five shots on her. The two students who managed to get the most quaffles past her would get the positions.

Alexandra saw early on that this was going to be no easy task. The Beaters had very accurate aim, and when the first student went, they managed to unseat him twice. Savannah was a superb Keeper, and managed to block every shot by the first boy.

"Her dad must've worked with her a lot," James commented as Savannah saved a partcurlarly difficult shot from a third-year girl. "She's bloody amazing. Nearly as good as Uncle Ron, if not better!"

Fred went after a fifth year boy, who managed to get two quaffles past Savannah. Alexandra could see that he was feeling nervous, and hoped that it wouldn't affect his shooting…

But Fred's first shot went past Savannah, and so did his second one.

"He's tied with that fifth year," Louis said, watching his cousin intently. "If he can just manage to get one more in…"

However, his third and forth shots were blocked. Alexandra, James and Louis all held their breath as Fred took his fifth shot….and it went in!

"He was the best out there!" James exclaimed, jumping up. "So long as no one passes up three shots, which with the way Savannah is playing, will be really hard, he'll be in! How many people are left to try?"

"Only Alanna and two forth years," Alexandra replied. "Oh, she's next!"

Alanna shakily mounted her broom, which she had borrowed from the school again, and set off towards the goal post, quaffle in hand. She passed it to Colmon, who passed back to her, she dodged a bludger, and took her shot. It soared past Savannah.

"Nice shot," James said, impressed. "Hopefully she can do it two more times."

Alanna didn't get so lucky the next time; Savannah managed to block the quaffle just in time. She missed the next two shots as well.

"If she can at least manage this shot, she'll be tied with that fifth year," Louis said, watching anxiously.

Alexandra watched, barely daring to breathe, as Alanna went in for the fifth shot. She got it in!

The next two forth years both only got one goal a piece, so the final position came down to Alanna and the fifth year.

"Alanna was loads better than him," James said as the fifth year mounted his broom for the second time. Savannah was going to have him and Alanna run the trial again and see who would be awarded the last spot. "He nearly missed that last shot he took…"

The boy zoomed down the field, avoiding two bludgers, and took his shot. It soared right in. James, Louis and Alexandra all let out moans of disappointment. Luckily, he missed his next shot, and the shot after that, and the shot after that. When it finally came down to his last run, he looked very on edge. His fifth shot didn't even come close to a goal post.

"All she has to do is get two goals again," Louis said, watching as Alanna flew up into the air again.

She did better than that. She put three goals past Savannah, just as Fred had.

"They both made it!" Alexandra said, jumping up with happiness. "They're both going to be Chasers!"

"Let's go see them!" James said, running out of the stands to greet the two.

Savannah was just finishing up telling the two the team's practice schedule. She congradulated them one last time, and then headed back towards the castle.

"I knew you both could do it!" Alexandra said, pulling them both into a hug. "You were amazing!"

"I was bloody nervous," Alanna said, a wide smile spread over her face. "I nearly missed two of my shots that last time."

"I can't wait to tell mum and dad about this!" Fred said, grinning.

The five went back up to the castle, talking about the first upcoming match of the season against Slytherin coming up next month.


	12. Chapter 12

Once Fred and Alanna began practicing with the rest of the Gryffindor team, Alexandra found that she had a lot of time to herself. She would spend the two hours Fred and Alanna spent at practice three nights out of the week sitting alone at their usual table, working on her homework. James and Louis would often stop by, though, and keep her company a bit, but would then have to go and sit with boys from their year and work on their own homework.

Alexandra did miss her friends, but seeing as she was used to spending time by herself, she wasn't bothered by their absence.

One night during practice, Alexandra was working on a Charms essay when James and Louis came over to her table.

"Those two still at practice then?" Louis asked.

"Yes, I suspect it'll be over with soon," she replied.

"Well, we were just coming back from the library when we ran into Hagrid," James said. He lowered his voice. "Said that if we meet him by entrance at eight tomorrow, he'll take us into the forest!"

"Really?" Alexandra said. "I wonder what we'll see in there…were you serious about there possibly being werewolves in there?"

"I don't _think_ any werewolves live in there," Louis said. "And anyway, we'll be with Hagrid, and he knows the forest better than anyone."

"Oh, good," Alexandra said, feeling relieved. "By the way, James, did your dad ever write back to tell you anymore about those attacks on the Ministry?"

"Yeah, he did," James nodded. "But he told me I'd have to wait until I come home for Christmas, which basically means that whatever it is that he found out is too risky to put in a letter."

"Any idea what it could be?"

James shook his head. "But I'll tell you what's weird; Aunt Hermione should've had those wands identified by now, she's brilliant at this sort of thing, but there hasn't been anything about the identities of the attackers in the _Prophet_, which makes me think-"

"That maybe the Ministry doesn't want their names to get out to the public," Alexandra finished.

"That. Or maybe the wands were stolen," James said.

"True," she said thoughtfully. "Do-Do you think they're working for someone?"

James grinned. "You read my mind. I was just telling Louis that's what I thought the whole situation was."

"I hope they figure it out, whatever this is about," Alexandra sighed.

"They will," James told her. "Well, we have a thirteen inch essay on the Warlock Conventions of the eight century due tomorrow. Think we should probably start that…"

"You wouldn't happen to remember anything about that, would you?" Louis asked hopefully. "I might have dozed off during the lesson…"

"I haven't the foggiest idea what went on with that," she smiled. "Alanna might know, though."

"Guess we'll just have to open the textbook then," James sighed. "I was sort of hoping to avoid that. But I guess in desperate times…"

The two headed over to sit with the boys from their dormitory.

Alexandra had just gotten back to her essay when the portrait door opened, and Fred and Alanna came in, both dripping in mud.

"Hard practice?" Alexandra asked her friends as they collapsed into chairs.

"Savannah is really determined to beat Slytherin," Fred explained. "She's added an extra practice day after tomorrow."

"I hope I'll have time to finish my Astronomy essay tonight," Alanna said.

"I can't even think about homework, I'm so tired," Fred moaned.

"You'll have to; we have that Charms essay due tomorrow," Alexandra reminded him. "I just started mine."

Fred groaned.

"Why didn't you guys do it yesterday?" Alanna asked. "We didn't have any work then."

"We, er, sort of got involved in a game of Exploding Snap," Alexandra admitted.

"Which I won," Fred pointed out.

Alexandra rolled her eyes.

"I'm going to shower off," Alanna said. "Good luck with those essays. I'll leave my notes, if you want them."

"Oh, hold on," Alexandra said. "James and Louis told me that Hagrid said if we meet him tomorrow at eight, he'd take us into the forest."

"Excellent!" Fred said, all tiredness fading from his face. "I want to see a Thestral! Or, well, I don't want to _see _one, but you know what I mean."

"Er, no, we don't," Alanna said, frowning. "What exactly are Thestrals?"

"They're sort of this winged horse creature," Fred told her. "But you can only see them if you've seen somebody die."

"That-that sounds awful!" Alanna said. "What, are they like death omens?"

"No, no," Fred said quickly. "They're really nice creatures; in fact they're what pull the carriages."

"They are?" Alexandra said.

"Yup. You'll see tomorrow night; they're harmless."

…..

"You're sure we're not going to get in trouble?" Alanna asked as her, Alexandra, Fred, Louis and James headed down to the entrance at ten minutes till eight.

"No, we'll be with Hagrid," James said. "He's a teacher. Besides, I've been out before after curfew and I haven't been caught."

"When have you been out late?" Alexandra asked.

"Last Wednesday. Fred showed us the kitchens. It's just a shame Kreacher doesn't work here anymore, that would've been great, but the elves gave us a couple of raspberry tarts and some scones."

"We would've gone and gotten you, but boys aren't able to get into the girls dormitories," Fred explained.

"You're just lucky you weren't caught," Alanna said.

When the five arrived at the entrance, they found Hagrid waiting for them.

"Come on, let's get movin' you lot," he said. "I'm only goin' to take you in there fer an hour, understand?"

"Yes, thanks, Hagrid," James said.

"Isn't Fang going to come?" Fred asked.

"He's still feelin' a bit under the weather," Hagrid told him. "I left him to sit by me fire. No matter, though, he's a ruddy coward. Now then, before we go in, let's just get a few things straight. Yer not to go anywhere without me, and stay on the path. So long as your calm, nothin's gonna come after yer."

Alexandra and Alanna both exchanged nervous glances, but the boys looked positively thrilled. Alexandra noticed that Hagrid had a long bow on his back, and she hoped that he wouldn't be using it.

When they first entered the forest, Alexandra expected to see a plethora of bizarre creatures, but was surprised to see that it seemed empty.

"Are you going to call any Thestrals?" Louis asked Hagrid.

"That's the plan," Hagrid said, pulling out a bloody steak from his coat.

"Can we ride them?" James asked.

"Been talking with yer dad, have you?" Hagrid chuckled. "No, you can't ride them, but I reckon they'll let you pet them."

Hagrid threw the steak onto the ground, and pulled another one out of his pocket and did the same.

"Jus' wait a moment…" he said, looking around. "Ah, yes, here a couple come."

Alexandra looked off in the direction Hagrid was staring in, and saw two, black horse-like figures coming through the forest. They had black skin with white shining eyes, and almost a reptilian look to them. She looked at the other four. They didn't appear to see them.

"You can only see them if you've seen death, right?" she asked slowly, as she watched the winged creatures approach the steaks.

"Yeah, sort of bittersweet," Hagrid said. "You have to see something horrible to see something so beautiful."

Alexandra tried to hide her confusion. She could see these creatures, yet, she had never seen anyone die…

"Look, they must be eating!" Fred said, as he watched chunks of the meat disappear.

"Come on over here an' you can pet 'em," Hagrid said, placing his beefy hand on the back of the smallest one. "Put yer hand right where mine is, there you go."

The five took turns petting the creature. When Alexandra went, she avoided looking at the Thestral's face, as to not let onto the others that she could see them.

After petting them a few more times, Hagrid announced that they needed to be heading back up to the castle.

"They seem beautiful," Alanna said to Alexandra as they walked across the grounds. "But truthfully, I hope I'll never get to see what they look like."

Alexandra managed a smile, but in her mind, she was still extremely uneasy about being able to see them when she new very well she had never seen anyone die.


	13. Chapter 13

The first Quidditch match of the year, Gryffindor vs. Slytherin, had finally arrived.

"You'll do better if you eat something," Alexandra told Alanna, who looked absolutely sickened with nerves.

"Ye' dis bacon is re' good," Fred said, shoveling the meat into his mouth.

"And I'm pretty sure eating _too _much is just as bad," Alexandra said, watching him in disgust as chunks of bacon sprayed across the table.

"We heard two Slytherin talking on our way down," James said. "They're pretty confident they'll beat us. Can't see how, though, with those three gorilla's of Chasers they have, and that lump of a Seeker, but no matter, I charmed their shoes together, so they can only hop now."

Fred, Alexandra, and Louis roared with laughter. Alanna still looked anxious.

"How are you two feeling?" Savannah wood asked her Chasers as she took a seat next to them. "Buck up, there, Alanna, or you won't have any energy for the game. I was just outside, and conditions seem perfect. The only thing that might hinder us is the wind; it's blowing more towards the north, which will give Slytherin a bit of an edge, but I know we can still take them."

"Yeah, we'd better after your three hour practice last night in the pouring rain," Fred said.

"Hey, Savannah," James said. "Is it true that your dad's coming to the game?"

"Yes, it is," she said. "And I'm hoping he'll be able to see us win. Now, Alanna and Fred, locker room in ten minutes, yes?"

Without waiting for a reply, she got up and headed out of the Great Hall.

After Alanna finally managed to eat some toast, the five headed outside. Alexandra, James, and Louis wished Fred and Alanna good luck, and then headed into the stands to get good seats before the rush of students claimed them.

"Thought we saw you lot head out," Teddy said, taking a seat behind the three. Victoire and Dominique sat next to him. "Hope we win today; Slughorn was boasting to Neville about how he thinks that this is going to be the year Slytherin finally wins the Cup."

"Not a chance," Louis scoffed. "They haven't won in years."

As game time drew nearer, the rest of the castle filed into the stands, sporting either red or green. At exactly eleven o'clock, Madam Hooch went to the center of the field, and the two teams came out of their separate lockers. Savannah and the Slytherin captain, a large, cruel looking girl with mousy hair, shook hands under Madam Hooch's watchful eye, and then took their positions. Madam Hooch released the Snitch, then the bludgers, and finally, on the blow of her whistle, she tossed the quaffle up into the air. Fred got the ball first, and passed it to Alanna when he had gotten about halfway down the field. Alanna nearly got hit in the head by a bludger, but managed to swerve and passed to Daniel Colmon, who scored.

Cheers erupted from the Gryffindor supporters as hisses were heard from the Slytherin fans. After another five minutes, Fred put the quaffle through the center hoop, and a minute later so did Alanna, causing Gryffindor to lead thirty to zero.

"We're winning!" Alexandra said excitedly.

"Don't get too happy now," Teddy said, as Savannah blocked a tough shot. "Quiddich is a fast-paced game; the score can change in a second."

Sure enough, Slytherin scored next.

"No fair! He clearly shoved Daniel out of the way with his elbow; that's a foul!" James exclaimed.

Luckily, Alanna and Fred each put away a goal apiece, and Daniel scored two more, taking the score Seventy to ten.

Thirty minutes into the game, Sawyer Charmichele and the Slytherin Chaser both spotted the Snitch at the same time, and went into a speed chase to try to catch the tiny golden ball. After ten nerve-wracking minutes, Sawyer closed his hand around the Snitch: Gryffindor had won!

"Yes! Yes!" James said jumping up onto his seat.

Louis was doing a sort of victory dance with Dominique, and Alexandra cheered along with all of them as the Gryffindor team swarmed together, all bearing huge grins.

…

"I can't believe we won!" Alanna said later that day in the common room. The euphoria of the victory still had not worn off for the Gryffindor students. Teddy and a few of his friends had snuck down to the kitchen and came back with armloads of food for a celebration.

"You should've seen the look on the Slytherin Keeper's face when you got that second shot past," Louis told her. "He looked ready to punch someone."

"Here's to another Gryffindor Quidditch Cup win!" Fred said loudly, raising his bottle of butterbeer.

The entire common room rose their glasses.

…

"Harry, don't you think you should go home, it's after midnight," Hermione said gently, walking into Harry's office. "Ginny's probably waiting up for you."

"I told her I'd be late," Harry mumbled, not looking up from the file he was reading.

"Look, Harry, don't let those two blokes get to you. I know it's odd that they have those wands, especially Sirius's, and I want to try to help you in any way to figure out how-"

"Why Sirius's wand?" Harry asked. "Or Bertha's? Why those two wands?"

"What do you mean?" Hermione asked, frowning.

"Think about it, Hermione," Harry said. "It would've been loads easier to just snatch a wand from some random wizard at Diagon Alley or someplace like that, but they chose to take these wands, which were probably ten times harder to get. Why?"

"Maybe-Maybe…oh, Harry, I hate to say this, but do you think they're trying to send you some sort of message? I mean, both wands are highly significant to you."

"Er, how's Bertha's wand significant to me?"

"She was the first person Voldemort killed when he began to get stronger after Pettigrew returned to him! She was the one who told him about the Twi-Wizard tournament, which is how he managed to regain full strength!"

"You're right," Harry nodded. "So-So do you think they're after me?"

"I'm not saying that at all," she said quickly.

"But that's the only thing that makes sense," Harry said slowly. "We've got to find out who they're working for. Do you know if Kingsley has finished recovering all the destroyed records?"

"He's still working on it as we speak; he hasn't left here in three days. He said he suspects he'll be done by tomorrow."

"Good," Harry nodded. He turned back to his file.

"What's that?"

"Claridina Wretermoust's file."

"Oh, no, Harry, you're not trying to connect this to her somehow, are you?"

"I think she coerced those men to attack us; she did before she got arrested, remember?"

"Yes, but she had those wizards attacking muggles and muggle-borns; never anything as high-risk as the Ministry!"

"Maybe Azkaban made her less careful, Hermione I've really got a feeling-"

"She's been under watch," Hermione said. "You would've alerted if she had contact with anybody; even through her Floo network."

"And you don't think she could somehow get around that?"

"I think," Hermione sighed. "Harry, I think you shouldn't set your sights only on Claridina Wretermoust."

"I'm not!"

"How long have you been pouring over her file?"

Harry didn't answer.

"Go home," she said firmly. "Spend some time with Ginny and Albus and Lily. Write to James and Teddy."

"Okay," Harry said after awhile. "But I'm still not letting Claridina go as a suspect."


	14. Chapter 14

December had pulled round, bringing with it freezing weather that made the warm castle seem like a warm haven compared to the frosty grounds.

"Just one more week until break," Fred said happily one evening in the common room as he finished a star chart.

"About time," said Alexandra, who was beginning to notice a definite change in the workload from the previous year.

Alanna said nothing, and Alexandra instantly felt awful about what she had just said. Alanna most likely would not be going home for the holidays; her family was not fully adjusted to her being a witch yet, and it had resulted in rocky situations amongst them. Alexandra would've invited her to come home with her, but her father had written earlier that week to inform her grandmother would be spending a good part of the break with them while her house was being fumigated.

"Too bad about that Christmas party tomorrow night, though," Alexandra said, changing the subject.

"Don't remind me," Fred moaned.

"It wasn't too bad last year," Alanna pointed out. "Food was good, at least, and some pretty interesting people came."

"Yeah, good news is that this year Slughorn will be so distracted with James here that he won't have time for anybody else," Fred said.

"Poor James," Alexandra said.

…

"Hello, welcome!" Slughorn boomed the next evening as Alexandra, Fred, Alanna, James and Louis arrived down in one of the dungeons for Slughorn's Christmas party. "Come, come, I've just laid out some pheasant and turkey, courtesy of the Hogwarts kitchens. Please, help yourselves to anything to eat."

The five started towards the buffet table, but Slughorn grabbed James's arm. "Hold on there, Mr. Potter," he said, grinning broadly. "I want to introduce you to an old comrade of mine. Walter! Over here, this is Harry Potter's boy, you know?"

"Let's get out of here before we're next," Fred said, grabbing himself a plate.

Unfortunately, James managed to get away from Slughorn by saying he had to use the bathroom. Seeing that Teddy and the rest of the Weasley's were engaged in conversations, Slughorn headed towards Alexandra, Alanna, Fred and Louis.

"Well, I happened to see your Quidditch game last week," he said to Fred and Alanna. "Now, obviously, I was a bit disappointed that my house lost, but I'll give credit where credit is due; you two played very well."

"Thank you, sir," Fred said.

"Yes, I happen to know quite a few brilliant fliers. Derik More from the Dover Dodgers was a past student, and of course we can't forget your Aunt, Ginny, now can we? Of course, James told me she retired a couple years back, writes reports of the game for the _Prophet_, correct?"

"Yup," Louis nodded.

"Shame she was never able to get me tickets to see her; always sold out, but no matter, I- Oh!"

One of the waiters who had been going around to the guests serving drinks had tripped and sent many glasses spilling all over Slughorn's pearl white robes, leaving a large, red stain on the front.

"Oh, yes, yes it's fine," Slughorn said to the apologetic waiter. "Oh, looks like this stain will set."

"Can't you just magic the stain out?" Louis asked.

"No, these robes are made from the finest Egyptian cotton; magic has no effect on them," he sighed. "Although…I hate to ask you to leave, but I have a bottle of potion on my desk that I save for emergencies like this…Do you think-"

"We'll get it," Fred volunteered quickly.

"Brilliant! Well, no need for all four of you to go. Louis, my boy, come let me introduce you to Mr. Wittle…"

"Yes! We've escaped!" Fred cheered once him, Alanna and Alexandra had left the dungeon and were starting towards Slughorn's office.

"We've got to go back, or Slughorn will be suspicious," Alanna reminded him.

"Oh, right."

The three tried to take as long as possible walking to Slughorn's office. Once they arrived, they found the bottle of potion sitting right on his desk as he said.

"Look at this," Fred said in disgust, looking at the many photographs that crammed the mantle. "It's like he's a…collector."

"Here's some that must not have made the cut," Alanna said, spotting a box of framed photos off to the side. She began rummaging through them. "Guys," she said suddenly. "Is this-Is this Wretermoust's mother? It looks like the woman in the book you showed us last year, Alexandra."

"Yes, that's her," Alexandra nodded. "I remember seeing this photo here last year, but I didn't know who it was."

"She went to Hogwarts?" Fred asked.

"I don't think so," Alexandra said, trying to remember what she read in the book. "I suppose Slughorn met her somewhere else, and that's how he knows her."

"Boy, first Voldemort and then her," Fred said. "Man really isn't a great judge of character if you ask me."

"We need to get back to the party," Alanna said, looking at her watch. "We've been gone nearly fifteen minutes."

"Fine," Fred sighed. "But if Slughorn starts one of his long conversations, I'm faking stomach pains to get out of there!"

Fred and Alanna turned to head out of the office. Alexandra turned to look at the photo one last time. Something didn't seem quite right…

"Alexandra, come on!"

Shaking the image out of her head, she hurriedly turned and headed after her friends.

…..

"Check mate," Albus said, taking his father's last knight. "That's the third game in a row I beat you in, dad!"

"Yes, but it took you longer," Harry pointed out, grinning at his son. "I must be getting better."

"Daddy, fly with me now!" Lily said, looking out the window longingly.

"Lil, it's pouring out there!"

"So? When I'm Seeker for England I'll have to play out in the rain!"

"Yes, well, until then, just stick to tamer weather, okay?"

"Okay," she sighed. "When's Hugo coming over?"

Right on cue, the flames in the Potter's fireplace began to glow green, and a second later, Hermione and her son appeared.

"Morning," Hermione said as Hugo and Lily ran upstairs to Lily's room. "Where's Ginny?"

"Her and Molly went shopping."

Hermione nodded. "Albus, Rosie wanted to know if you could come over to our house for a bit. She just got some new Gobstones."

"Can I dad?" Albus questioned.

"Sure. While you're over there, have a go with Ron at chess; if I can't beat him, maybe you will."

"I can't believe he'll be starting Hogwarts next year," Hermione said as green flames consumed the young boy. "Rosie as well. When's James getting home?"

"Day after tomorrow. Said Slughorn just had his Christmas party."

"I imagine Slughorn barely left his side?"

"Only when he got away into the bathroom."

"The man never lets up," Hermione sighed. "Um, Harry. I just got back from the Ministry. Kingsley finished recovering all the destroyed files. He's gone home now, but he said that whenever you get a chance, you're free to go over them. But," she added. "He says he wants you to take some time with your family before you do anything. Said you've been working too hard lately."

"I'll go in day after James gets back for a bit, then," he said.

"And I talked to Roberta from the Department of Mysteries," she continued. "About-About how the wizards could've gotten Sirius's wand. And she said that it's impossible to survive going through the arc."

"But then how did-"

"She also said," Hermione cut him off. "That they have ways of checking if anyone is down there. Without actually going through the veil."

"How?" Harry asked urgently.

"A variety of complex spells and charms," Hermione replied. "They haven't checked in years, though, not since before Sirius…" a few tears formed in the corners of her eyes, but she cleared her throat can continued. "They'll be checking now, though. It will take a few days, but they'll see if anybody else besides Sirius's body is there."

Harry nodded, but said nothing.

"Harry," Hermione went on gently. "I told Roberta that Sirius was your godfather, and she told me that once they figured out if more than one body is down there, they'd be able to remove Sirius's body."

Harry looked up. "What?"

"It would take awhile; it would be very difficult to remove his body without sending anyone down, but she knows that they can-"

"So I could give him a funeral?" Harry asked slowly.

Hermione nodded. "Yes."


	15. Chapter 15

Holiday break had finally arrived, and Alexandra was eager to get home and see her father.

"See you in two weeks then," Alexandra said to Alanna. "I'm sorry you can't stay with us; but my grandmother will be in my room, and I'm out on the couch, and there isn't much space in our living room.

"Don't worry about it; have fun with your family," Alanna smiled. "I'll try to send you a letter with one of the school's owls."

The girls gave each other quick hugs, and then Alexandra went downstairs into the common room, where James, Louis and Fred were waiting for her.

"Come on, Victoire said the last of the carriages are leaving," Louis said.

"Alright, I'm ready," she replied.

The four quickly made their way out to the entrance, where a few more carriages would be waiting for them. Suddenly, a thought hit Alexandra. Fred had said that the carriages were pulled by Thestrals: she would be seeing them again.

Every day since the forest, Alexandra had been continually wondering about those mysterious creatures and why she could see them.

However, much to her surprise, when her and the others stepped up to a carriage, she was nothing. How could that be?

"What are you looking at?" Fred asked. She had been staring, utterly confused at the empty harnesses.

"Nothing," she said quickly, climbing aboard.

…..

The train ride lasted nearly five hours. While Alexandra had fun talking and goofing around with the boys, she was thrilled when the train pulled into the platform.

"Oh, dad wrote me this morning, Fred," James said. "You're parents are busy in the shop; you're coming to our place."

"Excellent; think we should try to freak Albus out?"

"Of course."

Alexandra spotted her dad right away, and after saying goodbye to her friends, she ran over to him.

"Hi, dad," she said, hugging her father. "I've missed you!"

"Me too, Alexandra," Dudley smiled. "Come on, let's get to the car; it looks like it's about to pour."

Alexandra told her father about her classes and Slughorn's party on the ride home. When the two arrived back at their tiny house, Dudley heaved her trunk in and began to cook dinner.

"When's grandma getting here?" Alexandra asked, sitting down at the table.

"Tomorrow. I'm sorry she's taking your room," he replied. "But she called and, well, she had nowhere else to go."

"It's no problem; the couch is fine with me."

"I'm still not sure I exactly forgive her for the past few years," he sighed. "But hopefully we'll get through this without any problems."

After dinner, the two made hot chocolate and watched a movie by the fire. Afterwards, Alexandra, feeling tired from her long journey, bid Dudley goodnight, and went to bed.

Not even an hour after she had climbed beneath her covers, though, she was awoken by the phone ringing.

Curious to find out who was calling at such a late hour, Alexandra picked up the phone on her bedside table, but before she could say anything into the receiver, she heard her father's voice; he must've picked up the other phone.

"I thought I told you not call us," she heard Dudley say.

"I have a right to see her," said a woman's voice on the other line.

"You gave up that right when you left her."

"I want to see her."

"You're not going to."

Alexandra had never heard her father sound this angry.

"I can get the courts involved; I have much more money than you."

"It won't matter, no judge would side with you. You can't expect to just be able to come back into her life after nine years of doing nothing with her."

"Maybe she wants me to."

"You don't know anything about Alexandra. You don't know what she likes to do, or what her favorite meals are, or anything."

"You can't keep me from my daughter," said the woman's voice, and the line went dead.

Alexandra shakily hung up the phone. The conversation she had just eavesdropped on was the closest form of communication she had with her mother in over nine years, and it left her feeling frightened and angry.

…..

"-And I reckon I found a way to sneak down to the kitchens at night without being caught; there's a staircase near an empty classroom on the fourth floor…If you can just manage to get there without running into a teacher, you'll be safe because it takes you right there. Oh, and then that poltergeist, Peeves, which I don't why you and mum complain about, dad, because he's brilliant, dumped this entire vat of I don't even know what all over Mrs. Norris, and Filch tried to hex him, but he's so terrible at magic that it backfired and sent him flying down a flight of stairs. He's okay, though. Shame…"

"I want to go to Hogwarts!" Lily moaned as the Potter family plus Fred entered their home. "Please, write them and ask if I can go!"

"Not until you're eleven, sweetie," Ginny said soothingly.

"Can't wait until I go next year," Albus said. "Then I'll be able to do all this stuff with you."

"Well, that depends on whether you're in Gryffindor or not," James grinned. "For all you know, you can wind up being a Slytherin."

"No I won't!"

"James, don't start," Ginny told her eldest son. "Now go on you lot; it's a perfect day for Quidditch."

At once all four kids made a dash to the yard, already calling out what postion they wanted to be.

"Want to join them?" Harry asked. "I haven't been up on a broom in awhile."

"Maybe in a bit," Ginny said. "Have you heard anything about Sirius?"

Harry had told his wife everything Hermione had told him the other night, and she was eager to hear anything else regarding Harry's godfather.

"Department of Mysteries is still working on it," Harry replied. "They've-They've told me they'll tell me the second they get his body."

"It's good that you'll finally get to have the funeral," Ginny said. "It'll bring you closure. Sirius died a brave man and he deserves to be honored that way."

Harry nodded. Just then, there was a loud crack, and Teddy appeared in the kitchen.

"You know, I can't believe I used to bother with the Floo network," he said. "Apparation really is the way to go."

"Only took you three times to finally pass the test," Harry joked.

"I don't see why I failed the second time!"

"You landed on your tester's wife," Ginny reminded him.

"A minor mistake. Is there any food around here?"

"Is that all you come over here for?" Harry asked, rolling his eyes.

"That and the joyous entertainment you bring me. Oh! Left over cherry pie!"

"I still can't believe you're leaving Hogwarts next year," Ginny sighed. "Have you any idea what you want to do after you leave?"

"Actually, yes, I was thinking about while I was at school," he nodded, taking a forkful of pie. "And that's part of the reason I came over here. Harry, I want to be an Aurror. Like you."

Harry blinked. "An Aurror? Teddy, are you sure?"

"Yes," he said eagerly. "I have top marks in Defense Against the Dark Arts and I can't picture myself doing anything besides catching Dark witches and wizards. I was looking through a pamphlet McGonagall gave me; it said that if my grades meet the standards, I can train right out of school."

"Well, yes, but you'd need to get approved by Kingsley, and-it's dangerous, Teddy."

"I know that," the young boy said seriously. "But-My parents died fighting for what was right, and I want to fight too. So, do you think I could train in June after Hogwarts?"

"I-I think," Harry said slowly. "That you would make an excellent Aurror. I'll put in a recommendation for you with Kingsley when I go back to work tomorrow. You're parents would be proud," he added.

Teddy grinned, and hugged his godfather, leaving the cherry pie forgotten on the counter.


	16. Chapter 16

The next morning, Alexandra awoke after a sleepless night, tired and worried about the conversation she had over heard between her father and her mother.

When she walked into the kitchen, she saw that Dudley must not have slept well either, for there were circles under his eyes. Alexandra decided not let him know she had heard the phone call.

"Morning," she said as brightly as she could. "I finished cleaning my room for grandmum."

"Good," Dudley yawned. "She should be here a little after two."

Alexandra nodded, and began picking at her eggs.

"In the meantime," Dudley said. "How about the two of us go to lunch? I've just got to make a phone call…"

"Sounds fun," she smiled.

There was the sound of the mail flap at the front door, and Dudley headed over to get the mail. Alexandra noticed there was a tiny slip of paper on the counter about the size of a business card. She got up to look at it. It read _Marshall Landon: Pro-bono attorney_, and then had a number listed below it.

A lawyer? Did that mean that this whole situation between her mother and father was going to court?

Alexandra had heard of custody battles on the television and from kids at her old school, but she never figured she would have to go through one. She figured that her mother would just leave her well enough alone and let her keep on living with her father. She didn't want to see her mother, the woman that simply decided to abandon her one day.

"Got some of the neighbor's mail again, I'll have to run over there and give it to them later-" Dudley spotted Alexandra looking at the business card. "Oh, that's just something for work," he said quickly, snatching it up and putting it in his pocket. "Just a client that wants us to do some work on his website."

Alexandra said nothing. She knew Dudley was lying to try to protect her.

Dudley took the cordless phone and excused himself as he went into the bedroom.

…..

Petunia Dursley arrived at her son's house at half past two. Dudley had been dreading this ever since the arrangements had been made.

"Hello, mum," he said, opening the door to greet his mother.

"Hello, Dudley," she replied. She made a motion to hug him, but decided against it.

"You'll be staying in Alexandra's room," he continued. "I'll take your bags there."

"Thank you."

Alexandra sensed a lot of tension. Her grandmother stood awkwardly by the entrance as Dudley carried the bags away.

"Er, it's good to see you again, grandmum," Alexandra said, trying to break the silence.

"I should've come back sooner, it killed me everyday not getting to have any contact with you," Petunia said, staring at the floor.

"Um, it's okay," Alexandra said, not really quite sure on how to respond. Did she resent her grandparents for severing all communication with her? To a certain extent, yes, but she found it hard to hold a grudge against this tearing woman.

"You're all settled in," Dudley told his mother, coming back into the room. "I'll just get dinner going-"

"Let me cook for you," Petunia said, looking up. "You're already doing enough for me."

"Okay, if you'd like," Dudley shrugged.

The two adults headed into the kitchen.

…

"The fumigator told me that I should be able to go back home next week," Petunia told her son as she began to chop vegetables. "So I won't be in your way too long."

"It's fine," Dudley said quickly.

"I tried to book a hotel, but well, it's the holiday; everywhere is full."

"I don't mind you being here, mum."

"You're so kind," Petunia said tearfully. "I-I secretly feared, when you were growing up, that you would become a man like your father: cold and superficial."

"I probably would've been if Harry didn't risk his life to save so many people," Dudley sighed. "When I realized what he was doing, I-I just thought to myself, why am I so centered on just myself and my life while my cousin who's the same age is willing to throw away everything just so I and the rest of the world can live?"

"Is he married?" Petunia asked. "Harry, I mean. I-I saw his ring at the funeral."

"Yes, her name is Ginny. Her father and brothers were the ones that broke our fireplace when I was fourteen."

Petunia nodded.

"He has a good job; he's head of the Aurror department for his Ministry. That's sort of the muggle-equivalent of a police officer."

"I think Lily mentioned his father doing that," she said quietly. "In-In a letter she wrote me right before she got married…I-I didn't go to the wedding."

"And he's got three kids," Dudley continued. "Younger than Alexandra. His eldest is James, he just started Hogwarts this year. And then there's Albus, who's starting next year, and Lily will be turning nine soon, I believe."

"Lily," Petunia repeated softly, fresh tears falling from her eyes.

….

"Any luck, mate?" Ron asked, yawning as he walked into his and Harry's office.

"Barely started, I just got in," Harry replied, looking though the many boxes of recovered files Kingsley had left for him. "But so far, no, most of the records in the room were for witches and wizards that ended up dying in Azkaban, so I doubt they told those two to blow up their records."

"Besides, they wouldn't be so scared to tell you who it was if he was dead," Ron agreed. "Alright, well, pass me a stack."

Harry handed him a large pile of files. The two were an hour into their search, and had still found nothing, when there was a knock at the door.

"Come in," Harry called, tossing aside a useless file.

A middle-aged witch with thin hair entered. "Um, excuse me, Mr. Potter, my name's Roberta Flinley, from the Department of Mysteries. Mrs. Weasley told me I could find you here."

"Oh, what can I do for?"  
>"The department finished the process of checking for more dead bodies from the arc," she said. "And as we hoped, Sirius Black's body was the only physical thing down there."<p>

"Good; so you can get it up?" Harry asked.

"Yes, but like I told Mrs. Weasley, it will take some time. I just wanted to keep you up-to-date."

"I appreciate that," Harry said. "But, um, when do you think you'll-you'll be able to have his body?"

"It's just an approximation, but I'd say within three weeks."

Harry nodded. "Thanks."

"Do you know where you're going to-" Ron started as Roberta left.

"Next to my parents," Harry finished, already knowing what Ron was going to ask. "I think he would've liked it there."


	17. Chapter 17

Alexandra felt almost relieved to be heading back to Hogwarts. Between the tension of having her grandmother in the house and the uncertainty regarding the situation with her mother, she felt that she would be far more peaceful at the castle.

"We'll leave for the train at ten tomorrow," Dudley told his daughter. "And we'll drop your grandmother back off at her house right before."

"Are we ever going to see her again?" Alexandra asked

"I think so," Dudley nodded. "I know it's been a bit odd this past week, but, well, she's my mother, and your grandmum. I get that she hasn't been here for these past years for us, but in her own way, she's trying-"

"I don't mind," she said quickly. "Just wondering."

Dudley nodded. "Is your trunk all packed?"

"I just finished."

"Good," Dudley said, and he started to head out of the room.

"Dad," Alexandra said, not able to help herself. "Am-Am I going to have to see mum again?"

Dudley froze in his tracks. "What are you talking about?"

"I know she called here," she admitted. "I picked up the phone too that night."

"I-I'm not sure," Dudley said slowly. "I've talked to a lawyer, and so far it looks good for us, but well, she-she has more money. Do-Do you want to see her?"

"No," Alexandra responded at once.

"Well," Dudley sighed. "Then I'll make sure you won't have to."

…..

Dudley stood in front of Alexandra's closed door where Petunia was staying. He didn't want to do this, but after his conversation with his daughter, he knew he had no choice.

He knocked.

"Come in," Petunia called.

"Mum," Dudley said, deciding not to beat around the bush. "I need some help."

"Anything," she replied. "Help with what?"

"Mildred called here a few nights ago," he started. "Saying she wanted to see Alexandra again."

"That woman," Petunia frowned. "Well, she simply can't. She left."

"I know, but mum she's more powerful than me I got a lawyer, and honestly, he told me that I pretty much have no case. He said that the court will see her as a mother who just wants to have contact with her daughter."

"She left," Petunia repeated. "She gave up all contact."

"She's a vile woman," Dudley agreed. "Even before she left, I was starting to see it. She would do whatever it took to get on top. That job of hers was practically the only thing she cared about. Which is why I was wondering if you still had the number for dad's lawyer; I know he's really good."

"Yes, I believe I still have it in the address book. I'll give it to you once Alexandra goes back to school."

"And, mum," he continued. "I-I don't exactly have a lot of-"

Petunia shook her head. "Don't even worry about it."

…

"And then Albus slipped it into Uncle Percy's soup," James was saying as he, Fred, Alexandra and Louis made their way into a compartment on the Hogwarts Express. "Huge explosion."

"How mad was he?" Louis asked, laughing.

"Not too mad; told us it was at least tamer than the spider incident. Even Aunt Audrey and Molly and Lucy were laughing. Grandmum was over as well, and I could've sworn I saw her smiling, but then her and mum yelled at us."

"Why do you always pick on your Uncle Percy?" Alexandra asked, remembering all the similar tales she had heard.

"Easy target," Fred shrugged. "Dad told me him and his twin would do things ten times worse to him when they were growing up."

"Anything else fun happen during your break?" Alexandra questioned.

"James got beat by Lily at Quidditch," Louis blurted out.

"Shut up," James snapped. "You know I make a better Chaser than Seeker. Besides, she was right in front of me. What was I supposed to do, knock her off her broom? Mum and Dad would've had my head!"

Alexandra laughed along with the others. She didn't mention anything about her mother to them; she wanted to keep that much private. By the time she had arrived at school, though, she felt much better than she did at home, and managed to put the situation in the back of her mind.

"I hope Alanna wasn't too bored by herself," Alexandra said aloud as the four made their way to the carriages. "I feel just awful that she had to stay."

"She stayed last year as well, didn't she," Fred pointed out. "Why doesn't she go home?"

"Her family was out of the country," Alexandra lied quickly. "They go every year to visit family in France."

"But, why doesn't she just go with them?" Fred inquired.

Alexandra shrugged, and as she hoped, he dropped the subject.

Alexandra was happy to see that she still could not see the Thestrals. Perhaps she had been imagining things that night in the forest…

…

"You saw James off, then?" Ron asked as Harry walked into the office.

"Yup. Ginny confiscated about half of his trunk, though. Bloke tried to smuggle in muggle fireworks to charm at school. Said Peeves gave him the idea."

"Wouldn't put it past him," Ron chuckled. "Anyway, I was going through some more files, and I found two that look good, I put them on your desk."

"Thanks," Harry said. But before he could look at them, there was a knock at the door, and Roberta, the witch from the Department of Mysteries, entered.

"Mr. Potter," she said. "We've just recovered Sirius Black's body."


	18. Chapter 18

"First day back and Turnwise gives us a ton of work," Fred fumed angrily. "It'll take hours to finish that essay, plus he expects us to read the entire twelfth chapter?"

Classes had just finished for the day, and Fred, Alexandra, Alanna, James and Louis were heading back up to the common room after dinner.

"That's nothing; we've got twenty inches on the creation of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement due tomorrow for Binns," James said. "I wonder if I could just Floo over to Aunt Hermione's and ask her about it."

"It is a heavy work load," Alanna agreed. "But didn't Turnwise say it was in preparation for some big test, what was it…O.W.L.'s?"

"Yeah, but we don't take those until fifth year," Fred pointed out. "I don't plan on studying for those for years."

"I'm just glad his class ended before he could give us anymore work," Alexandra said as they reached the common room.

The five hastily began to work on their enormous workload. They were no more than ten minutes into it, though, when the portrait door opened again, and Neville walked in.

"James," he said, walking over to the group. "You're father's here to pick you up."

"Pick me up?" James repeated, frowning. "Why?"

"Teddy, you too," Neville called to the boy, not answering James. "Come on, Harry's waiting for you in McGonagall's office."

"Why are we going with him?" Teddy asked. "Is everything okay."

Neville opened his mouth to answer when the portrait door swung open again and Professor McGonagall herself entered.

"Will Victoire, Dominique, Louis, Molly, Lucy, and Fred please report to me as well," she said.

"Professor, please, can't we know what this is about," Victoire asked in a worried tone as her and the others approached the Headmistress. "Is-Is someone hurt?"

"I assure you, nobody is hurt," McGonagall said softly so onlookers could not hear her. "There is simply some family business that needs to be tended to. I'm sure your parents will explain it all to you."

…

"You-You all came?" Harry asked, flabbergasted as Bill, George and Percy squeezed into McGonagall's office as well. He had arrived only moments ago to collect James and Teddy for Sirius's funeral, which was being held the next day. He hadn't expected the others to do the same.

"Of course, it's a big family thing," George replied. "Thought everyone should be there."

"You don't mind, do you?" Bill asked.

"Not at all," Harry said. "I just-"

"Dad, what's going on, why are you here?" James asked as the door flew open. The other children, plus Neville and McGonagall, filed in as well.

"There's going to be a funeral tomorrow," Harry explained.

"What?" Teddy exclaimed. "But I thought no one was hurt?"

"It's for someone who died a long time ago," Harry told him. "His body's just been recovered. Come on, we'll apperate from Hogsmeade."

"Funeral's tomorrow, is it?" Neville asked Harry as the large party headed out of the office.

"Yes," he nodded.

"Would you mind if I come?"

"No, you're more than welcome."

"Potter," Professor McGonagall said, clearing her throat. "I-I knew Black while he was at school, and got to know him even better while we were in the Order. I don't know if I would be intruding if-"

"I'd like it if you came," Harry said. "It means a lot. Both of you."

He smiled at the two and then hurried to catch up with the others.

"Dad, whose funeral is it?" James asked his father as the group made their way out of the castle towards Hogsmeade. "Can't you tell us?"

"It's Sirius's funeral," Harry finally said. "My godfather."

All the children knew about Sirius; how he was wrongly framed for murder and how he had died in the Department of Mysteries fighting Bellatrix Lestrange.

"But, Harry, wasn't his body lost through that arc," Teddy inquired. "How-how did you get the body?"

"Some of the people in the department managed to get his body up. It took them awhile, but, well, they finally did it. So we're going to give him the burial he deserves.

…..

"How are you feeling?" Ginny asked her husband the next day as he pulled on black dress robes.

"I'm not sure," Harry shrugged.

"Mum said that the minister should be at the graveyard by ten."

"I'll have to thank her," Harry said. "She really went out of her way to arrange this."

"Who else is coming?"

"Well the family, Andromeda, Hagrid, McGonagall, Neville, Kingsley, and Luna and her family. I wanted to keep it as small as small as possible."

"Kingsley managed to keep it hushed up then?"

"Yes. There are still too many people out there who never found out the truth about his innocence."

Suddenly, there was a loud crack, and Kreacher appeared.

"Kreacher? What are you doing here?" Harry asked.

"Kreacher is finding out that Kreacher's old master is to be buried today," the old house-elf croaked.

"How did you find that out?" Harry asked suspiciously.

"Kreacher is hearing it last night when he is stopping by to see if anything is needing done here."

"Well, that still doesn't answer my question of why you're here."

"Kreacher is wondering if he is allowed to go see his former master buried."

"Why?" Harry demanded. "You hated Sirius."

"He was still Kreacher's master."

"You helped with his death," Harry said softly. "You told me he was gone the night I Flooed over to your place from school. If you had only told me the truth, he might've still been here."

"That is why Kreacher is wanting to say he is sorry to old Master," the elf replied meekly. "Kreacher was a bad elf."

Harry stared at the elf for nearly a minute. "Alright, Kreacher, I'll let you come," he decided. "Maybe you have become a better elf. But I'm warning you; you do _anything _to disrespect Sirius, you'll be sorry."

"Of course, master," Kreacher bowed. "Now Kreacher is going to make breakfast for master's family. Kreacher is remembering that mistress is liking waffles."

"Oh, don't-that's not necessary-" Ginny started, but the elf had already disappeared.

"Kreacher really has become better," she said to her husband. "I remember when we were staying at Grimmauld Place that summer…He kept lurking around everywhere, just being downright horrible."

"Yeah, I guess," Harry nodded. "We should see if the kids are up; you know they'd sleep until noon if we let them."

…

Harry stood at his godfather's gravestone. The service had just ended, and Sirius's body was about to be laid to rest.

Ginny came over by his side and gave his hand a squeeze. "Sirius would've appreciated this."

Harry said nothing. He walked back over to where Sirius's body was laid out. It had been preserved even after all those years it hadn't spent through the arc; from a variety of complex charms, Hermione had guessed. Everyone had already paid their respects, yet James and Teddy lingered, staring at the man.

"He was your godfather, huh?" Teddy asked quietly as Harry approached.

"Yes; my dad's best friend. He was a good friend of your father as well."

"And my great aunt killed him?"

"Bellatrix, yes, she was his cousin."

"I'm named after him," James commented. "My-My middle name."

"You remind me of him," Harry said, putting an arm around his son. "He was a prankster as well."

"Harry," Mrs. Weasley said gently. "It's time to lay him to rest."

Harry nodded.

Everyone gathered around the gravestone as Mr. Weasley, Harry, and Ron levitated the casket into the ground. Then, as had been done for Dobby so many years ago, everyone began to pile dirt over it with only shovels; no magic.

"He won't ever really be gone," Luna said in her light voice, walking over to Harry. "You'll always be able to see him."

"Thanks, Luna," Harry said.

"I still see my mother from time to time," she continued casually. "When I really need her."

"Like a ghost?"

"No, no. Nothing like that. I just get the sense that she's watching over me. I got that feeling in the war when a killing spell nearly hit me, and right before I got married, and right before the twins were born. You've gotten that feeling before, haven't you?"

"You know, Luna," Harry said. "I have."

"Of course, you have to be careful not to confuse it with just everyday Nargles," she added. "I see a bunch flying around Albus's head right now." She nodded over to Albus, who was talking with her own children, Lorcan and Lysander.

"Oh, um, I guess he doesn't notice," Harry said.

…..

Soon, everyone began to file out of the graveyard to head to the Burrow where Mrs. Weasley had invited everyone for a sort of reception. Harry told Ginny to go ahead with the kids, and that he would meet them later. He sat down in the snow in front of the tombstones of his mother, father, and godfather.

"You okay, mate?" Ron asked, sitting down beside him.

"I don't get it," Harry said. "He died years ago. Why does if still feel so-so-"

"Bad?" Hermione finished, sitting down on the other side of him. "Harry, he was your godfather; the closest thing to a parent you ever knew, it's normal to feel that way."

"But I thought I had come to terms with it," Harry said. "Back when I was fifteen."

"You never really come to terms with something like this, do you?" Ron pointed out.

"He's right, Harry," Hermione said. "You're parents died even longer ago, and you can barely remember them, but you still miss them everyday, don't you?"

"Yes."

"And you never stopped missing Sirius, did you, after he died?"

"Never."

"Well, there you go then," Ron said. "Sirius-Sirius was brilliant, Harry. And doing this today, that's only going to keep his memory alive longer."

Harry nodded. "We should get back to the Burrow. I'll need to be taking James and Teddy back soon."

The three friends slowly stood up and silently headed out of the graveyard.


	19. Chapter 19

"I'm starting to get really worried," Alexandra said to Alanna. "I wonder what's going on with them."

It had been a whole day since the unexpected departure of Teddy, James, and the Weasley's. Of course, rumors erupted at once as to their whereabouts, every one completely absurd and unlikely.

"Professor McGonagall did say that no one was hurt," Alanna pointed out.

"Yes, I know," Alexandra nodded. "But still, you don't exactly get pulled out of school right after semester starts for good news, do you?"

"Do you think Hagrid would know where they are? He's friendly with their family, isn't he?"

"Good idea," Alexandra nodded. "We have about an hour before curfew; let's run down to his hut."

The girls grabbed their cloaks and quickly headed down to the grounds. They were surprised to see, though, that no smoke was coming from Hagrid's chimney, and no light was visible through the windows. When they knocked at the door, they heard only a few grunts from Fang.

"He's gone too?" Alexandra frowned.

"He could just be in the castle," Alanna pointed out.

"I suppose," she nodded. "We should get inside; it's getting dark."

The girls pulled their cloaks tighter and sludged through the snow.

They had to pass the Forbidden Forest to reach the castle. As they did, Alexandra turned to look into it, and was frightened to see two sets of red eyes staring straight at her.

"What?" Alanna asked when Alexandra suddenly stopped dead.

Alexandra didn't answer. When she looked closer, she could faintly make out the thin, dark heads the eyes were attached to. Without thinking, she started towards the forest.

"Alexandra!" Alanna hissed, hesitantly following her. "What are you doing? You can't go in there now without Hagrid!"

Alexandra stopped a few feet from the forest; the Thestrals still remained where they were, looking directly at her.

"There's nothing there!" Alanna whispered frantically. "Please, let's go before a teacher sees us here!"

"Okay," Alexandra replied faintly. She followed Alanna back towards the castle, looking over her shoulder at the bright red eyes that were still starting at her.

"What was up with you?" Alanna asked once the girls were back inside the common room.

"I just thought I heard something," she answered. "Must have been the wind, though."

Alanna nodded, though looked a little skeptical. Luckily, Alexandra was saved from any more questions as the portrait door swung open and James, Teddy and all the Weasley's returned.

"Where were you?" her and Alanna asked simultaneously as Fred walked over to them.

"Funeral," he replied shortly.

"But-but McGonagall said no one was hurt-"

"The funeral was for Sirius Black," he told them. "Uncle Harry's Godfather. He died before I was even born, back when Uncle Harry was fifteen."

"Then why would you have the funeral now?" Alanna asked, confused.

"Because his body was only just retrieved."

"Oh. How-how'd he die?" Alexandra asked.

"He was murdered back when Voldemort was around," Fred replied. "By one of his Death Eaters, Bellatrix Lestrange."

"Bellatrix Lestrange?" Alexandra repeated. She remembered seeing this awful woman in _The Era's Darkest Wizards and their Downfall_.

"You know about her?" Alanna asked. "How?"

"I just know that she was a Death Eater, that's all," Alexandra shrugged. "Came across her name in reading. Wasn't she supposed to have been one of the worst Death Eaters?"

"Yeah," Fred nodded. Then he lowered his voice. "My grandmum killed her."

"Your grandmother?" Alexandra exclaimed, astounded.

"Yes, but don't go spreading it around," he said urgently. "It was during the Second Battle of Hogwarts, right before Voldemort was killed, and from what I've heard, she was about to kill my Aunt Ginny, but grandmum was quicker."

Alexandra, who had met Mrs. Weasley, couldn't imagine such a kind, nurturing woman being capable of killing anyone. But then again, if you were about to lose your daughter…

"Anyway," Fred said, settling down in an armchair. "What did I miss? We only had Charms, History of Magic and double Defense today, right? Not too bad."

"You can borrow my notes," Alanna told him. "Do you want to start on our Charms essay, Alexandra?"

"Not right now," she replied. "I'm going to the library really quick…there's something I need to look up."

Deciding to get out as soon as possible to avoid any questions from her friends, Alexandra grabbed her back and hurriedly made her way out of the common room. Once in the corridors, she jogged down to the library and quickly looked through the shelves for something that would help her. At last, she found a book that seemed promising: _Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. _

She skimmed through the pages until she found a page about Thestrals.

_Thestrals are perhaps the most mysterious creatures today. They can only be seen by those who have seen death, and are therefore often wrongly associated with death omens. Thestrals can be found throughout Northern Europe and the eastern parts of Asia. These creatures have a marvelous sense of directions, and they have often been recorded flying back to their birth sites years after leaving it. Their diet consists of flesh, though they do not attack humans. _

There it was again…they could only be seen by those who had seen death. There had to be an explanation for why she could see them, didn't there?

"You there," Madam Pince said, shuffling over to Alexandra. "It's past curfew now. Get back up to your common room!"

"Sorry, lost track of time," she replied, hastily shoving the book back on the shelf.

_Maybe I saw some other creature today,_ she told herself as she walked back to the common room. _Could've been a unicorn, or something else. Yes…I'm sure that's it. _

…..

"Bertha Jorkins disappeared here," Harry told the team of Aurrors in front of him, pointing to a circled region of a map of Albania. "When she was murdered by Voldemort. Her body was never found: Voldemort clearly didn't want it to be. Which means he either didn't hide her was well as he thought he did, or the two wizards who attacked here know much more than they're letting on. Nought, Kramer, Fulton: you three will go here and search the area. Magnius, Corpoun, Watson: I need you interview the few suspects we've gathered from the recovered files; I've put them in your offices. Everybody else, you're to keep close surveillance on each witch and wizard on probation from Azkaban; make sure they don't make any contact with anybody not on their approved list. Ron and I are going to keep sifting through the recovered files to try to find more possible suspects. We'll communicate by patronuses if we discover any valuable information. All right, go on then."

"Couldn't we do something besides going through more files, mate?" Ron asked as the two headed into the elevator to go back up to their office.

"I wish," Harry sighed. "Kingsley said he only trusts us to do it; said the others might over look something."

"Mr. Potter," Roberta said, running into the elevator just as the door slid shut. "I've been looking all over for you." She was slightly out of breath.

"We just got out of a meeting," Harry said. "I actually wanted to come down and see you later today; I just wanted to say thank you again for getting Sirius's body back."

"It was no problem," she said, catching her breath. "But while we were recovering the body, one of our spells indicated something odd down in the arc. Of course we thought nothing of it at the time; just thought it was because of the body, but we performed the charm again today, and got the same results. So we called in more members of the department and used more charms, and discovered that recently, within the last month, there had to have been a huge fire down there."

"A fire?" Ron repeated.

"Yes," Roberta nodded. "But it must have been controlled, otherwise the body would've burned."

"But I thought you said that the magic down is what preserved the body after all these years. Wouldn't it protect against fire as well?" Harry questioned.

"No. The magic simply would've stopped decay. A fire would have destroyed it as it would anywhere."

"And-And you said the fire must've been started about a month ago?"

"Give or take a few days, yes," she nodded.

"A month," Harry muttered. "That was about when the attack happened."

"Think they're linked?" Ron asked.

"Seems like too big a coincidence for them not to be," Harry replied. "Thanks for telling us about this," he added to Roberta.

"Anytime, Mr. Potter."

"Er, you don't have to call me Mr. Potter, you know," he told her. "Harry is just fine."

"Okay then, Harry," she smiled. "I'll keep you posted if anything else comes up."

"The fire must've helped whoever got Sirius's wand somehow," Harry told Ron as the two reached their floor. "I don't know how, though."


	20. Chapter 20

"Very nice work today," Professor Quipps told his Defense Against the Dark Arts class. "Kindly read chapter eight of your books and summarize it for me in at least six inches."

Defense Against the Dark Arts was the only class where Alexandra performed better than both Fred and Alanna. That day, the students had learned some basic defensive spells and had been practicing them on one another. Alexandra had been the only one who was able to make her partner completely immobilized with her leg-locking charm.

"How am I supposed to get his essay done tonight?" Fred fumed as the three sat down at the Gryffindor table for dinner. "We've got Quidditch practice tonight!"

"When's the next match?" Alexandra asked, buttering her baked potato.

"Week from this Friday," Alanna replied. "Savannah says that if we beat Hufflepuff by more than fifty points, we'll be in real good shape for the Cup. Wouldn't it be great if we win?"

"Of course," Fred said. "Gryffindor's been on a winning streak; it'd be a shame to break it. Especially if Slytherin gets it."

"Fred, Alanna," Savannah said, sliding over to them. "Glad I found you. I've just talked to Professor Longbottom and he managed to get us the Quidditch pitch an hour earlier so we'll have extra time to practice. So finish up your dinner and then head straight out to the lockers. I've got a new strategy I want to go over with you."

"Brilliant," Fred moaned once Savannah was out of earshot. "And it looks like it's going to storm tonight."

"Well, maybe we'll get lucky," Alanna said optimistically.

A loud clasp of thunder suddenly sounded through the Great Hall.

"And maybe we won't," he sighed.

"Let's get to the locker room before it starts coming down, then," Alanna said, taking one last bite of her chicken.

"Fine," Fred said, hastily getting up.

"If you'd like," Alexandra whispered to Fred as Alanna set off towards the exit. "I'll let you copy my Defense essay since you still have your star chart to do."

"You're a lifesaver, Alexandra," he grinned. "Thanks." He hurried off after Alanna.

Alexandra quickly finished the last of her dinner, and then deciding she should start the essay right away, made her way towards the library.

As it turned out, though, the library was rather full, and the only available seat was next to some very mean looking Slytherin seventh years, so she turned around and figured that she would just work on it in the common room.

Just as she reached the portrait of the Fat Lady, however, she was stopped by Teddy.

"Wouldn't go in there if I were you," he told her. "A bunch of third years set off Dungbombs; place stinks like the inside of trash bin."

"How long will it be like that for?" she asked.

"Probably another couple of hours. Victoire just went down to get Neville, and I'm sure he'll have it fixed soon."

Alexandra sighed; it seemed as if she had nowhere left to go…

Then she remembered the one place in Hogwarts that was almost guaranteed to be empty. The room on the seventh floor that gave her whatever she needed.

Bidding Teddy goodbye, she quickly set off to the Room of Requirements.

_At least I'll be able to get some work done there_, she said happily to herself as she reached the corridor where the room was located. _Finally, somewhere that's not bustling with people_.

She was just about open the door, when the handle turned, and out walked the one of the only other people at Hogwarts she knew of who was aware this room existed: Wretermoust.

"Hiding out, are we?" he sneered, blocking the entrance to the room.

"I-no," she stammered.

"Bit of an odd place to go if you want company, isn't it?"

"Just let me in," she said, frowning.

"You know," he said lightly, pulling out his wand. "I reckon this room would be a rather nice place to have a little duel."

"I'm not dueling you, if that's what you're getting at," she snapped, though her hands did still instinctively reach for her wand.

"Well of course I wouldn't duel you; it would just be a waste of my time. I'm just pointing it out."

Alexandra said nothing for a moment, and then, without thinking, she blurted out: "how did you know I don't live with my mum? I've never told you that?"

Wretermoust grinned, as though he had been waiting for her to ask this question.

"There's a lot I know about you."

"What? Have you been stalking me?"

"Please, don't flatter yourself. But like I told you last year, we're far more alike than you-"

"Stop it!" she said loudly, pointing her wand directly at his face. Wretermoust didn't even blink.

"Go on, do it," he said calmly. "No one would ever know it was you. You could hex me, and just leave me here. And even when someone finds me, it'll be your word against mine, and we both know a professor would be much more likely to believe you than me."

"Stop. Saying. We're. Alike," Alexandra breathed in a voice she didn't even recognize. "I'm not like you, I don't want to be like you, and I'll never be like you."

"Whatever you say," he said simply.

Alexandra reluctantly lowered her wand, and Wretermoust moved to let her into the Room of Requirements.

"But," he said, walking away from the door. "Maybe it's something that you just can't help."


	21. Chapter 21

"Well, that's the last of them," Ron said, tossing the last of the recovered files into the pile on his desk. "We've gone through them all and found nothing."

It had taken Harry and Ron nearly a month to go through all of the files by hand, and they had only come up with a handful of possible suspects for the leader that told the two wizards to attack the Ministry. And all of these leads turned out to be useless. In other words, they were back to square one in finding out about anymore of the attacks.

"That was a great waste of time," Harry sighed. He looked at his watch. "At least the others are due back with their reports from Albania in about an hour. Maybe they found Bertha's body."

"Hope so," Ron sighed. "I just can't believe that nobody in these files was our suspect. I mean, these were some of the most awful people on record."

"You're right," Harry said thoughtfully. "They were. All but one."

"What?" Ron asked.

"I didn't think anything of it when I came across it," Harry said, rummaging through the mountain of folders on his desk. "But now…"

"What are you getting at here, mate?" Ron asked.

"Here it is," Harry said, picking up a file. "Kate Dane."

"What's so special about her."

"Nothing, that's what's so interesting," Harry said. "I didn't even understand why she had a file; her crime was petty compared to all the others. Says she stole something this tiny little apothecary in Dover about thirteen years ago."

"That's it?"

"That's it," Harry nodded. "Nothing else on her record. All it says was that the storeowner filed charges, which is why she's got a criminal record. But, it doesn't say what she stole, either."

"So you think," Ron said slowly. "That this woman is the one who's controlling those two blokes who blew us up?"

"I don't think that it's her," Harry said. "But someone connected to her. Think about it; every other person in these records had huge criminal records. We knew pretty much all of them and what they did without even reading their files, and I'm sure most of the Ministry does as well, right?"

"Right?" Ron said, clearly still confused.

"So what good would destroying their files do anyone? Everyone would still know about them. But this woman, no one remembers her! If her file had gotten destroyed, she'd be off the radar!"

"Okay," Ron said, finally understanding. "So you think that somebody doesn't want us to figure out what she stole?"

"I think," Harry said. "That someone wants Kate Dane to be entirely forgotten. Come on."

"Where are we going?" Ron asked, jogging after Harry as he hurriedly made his way to the elevator.

"To see Hermione."

Once the elevator reached Hermione's floor, the two quickly set off to her office.

"Hermione," Harry said, opening the door. "We need your help."

"With what?" she asked, surprised at the sudden intrusion.

"We need to find out everything about Kate Dane."

"Kate Dane?"

"We think she might be connected to the attack somehow," Harry explained.

"How?"

"She's the only one who didn't have a notable record," Ron told her.

"Well, okay," Hermione nodded. "I'll try to have something to you within the hour."

"Great," Harry said. "Thanks, Hermione."

….

"Alexandra?" Alanna said, walking into the girl's dormitory.

"Yeah?" Alexandra called from her bed.

"Fred, James, Louis and I were about to go visit Hagrid," she said. "Do you want to come?"

"Not right now, thanks."

"Are you feeling all right?" Alanna asked, concerned. "You've been acting sort of strange these last few days.

"Strange? How?"

"I'm not sure, just sort of more…reserved."

"I'm fine," Alexandra said. "I just haven't been sleeping well."

"Maybe you ought to see Madam Pomfrey."

"No, I think it's just the stress of all the work we've been getting," Alexandra said quickly. "I just need to catch up on sleep. I was about to take a nap."

"Well, okay," Alanna said reluctantly. "We'll see you at dinner then."

Alexandra waited until Alanna had left the room before she got out of bed.

She had been spending the last three days since her encounter with Wretermoust avoiding company as much as she could. She was so shaken up by what he had said that she simply did not feel like talking with others.

Suddenly, the dormitory door opened again. Thinking it was Alanna again, Alexandra quickly got back in bed.

It wasn't Alanna, though; it was Tiffany Finnigan.

"Oh, you're here," Tiffany spat at Alexandra.

Alexandra didn't respond. She watched Tiffany open her trunk and rummage around in it.

"You know," Tiffany continued. "I noticed that you're friends with James."

"Yes," Alexandra said. "So?"

"Don't you think it's a bit nervy, to try and befriend the son of the man your dad and his family treated so bad."

"I've told you," Alexandra said, trying to keep from screaming at this girl. "My dad and Harry Potter have put all that behind them. They aren't enemies anymore."

"Or maybe, you're just hanging around him hoping he can help you get into the spotlight," Tiffany went on, standing up. "Everyone here knows his name, while nobody knows yours. Think hanging around with the Boy Who Lived's son will get you a bit of respect here?"

Alexandra could feel her blood boiling, and had to bite her tongue to keep from saying something she knew she'd regret.

Tiffany seemed satisfied with the rise she had gotten out of Alexandra and turned and left the dormitory.

Alexandra stayed in the dormitory through dinner, doing her homework on her bed. She was feeling tired and her head was hurting, so she pulled on her nightgown and tried to sleep.

Since seeing Wretermoust in the Room of Requirements, she hadn't gotten a full, undisturbed nights rest, and she was hoping that tonight, she'd finally be able to do so. But, alas, at around three in the morning, she was awoken.

At first, Alexandra thought that it was just like every other night she was lurched out of sleep, but she noticed that the lights had suddenly gone on, and the others girls were up as well.

She heard a scream, and realized that was what must've woken her up.

"What's going on?" she asked sleepily.

"Oh my goodness!" Grace exclaimed, running over to Tiffany's bed. "She's hurt!"

Alanna and Alexandra rushed over as well.

Tiffany was clutching her abdomen. Her nightgown had a large, red stain on it, and it was getting bigger by the moment.

"What happened?" Alanna asked Tiffany.

"I-I don't know!" Tiffany gasped, clearly in a lot of pain. "I just felt this sharp pain, like I was being sliced with a knife."

"I'm going to go get Professor Longbottom," Grace said, her face stricken with fear.

"Here," Alanna said, grabbing a towel from the table by the window and pouring some water on it. "Put this over the wound."

Tiffany took the towel, and grimacing, placed it over the gushing gash on her stomach.

"What's going on?" Neville asked urgently, clambering into the room, his dressing down thrown sloppily over his pajamas.

"She just woke up screaming, and we found her like this," Alanna told him.

"She needs the Hospital Wing," Neville said. "Can you walk, Tiffany?"

"I-ow! No."

"Here, I'll take you then," Neville said, picking her up. "Grace, please go wake up Madam Pomfrey. Her room's the first door on left across form the Hospital Wing."

Nodding, Grace followed after Neville and Tiffany.

"What-What do you reckon happened?" Alexandra asked Alanna.

"I have no idea," she replied. "She-She'll be okay, though. Madam Pomfrey will fix her up. Come on, let's try to get back to sleep."

Alexandra nodded, and climbed back into bed. As she was pulling her covers back, she felt something underneath, though. She looked, and saw it was her wand.

But, she always kept her wand in the drawer of her bedside table, what was it doing here?

Alexandra was about to put it back, when she noticed that it was pointing directly at Tiffany's bed.


	22. Chapter 22

"Damn," Ron sighed, tossing the _Daily Prophet _aside. "Cannons are out. Lost their last match 380 to 10."

"Better than they did last year," Harry pointed out. "At least they got one shot this time."

"One of these years," Ron mumbled. "They're going to make it."

"Who's going to make it?" Hermione asked, walking into the office.

"The Cannons," Harry replied. "Ron's upset that they got eliminated."

"Oh, I suppose that means Hugo will be too," she said. "Well, anyway, I've got as much as I could on Kate Dane. Had to go to St. Mungo's to get her birth records; it's all that seems to be available on her. Luckily, the hospital's records are impossible to destroy unless you're granted access to them."

"What's it say?" Harry asked.

"Nothing much," she replied, sting down on the arm of Ron's chair. "Born 34 years ago in London to an Eloise and Grant Dane, they're both dead now…the only time she was ever in the hospital was when she gave birth to a son, but, well, it says here he died about a day later, that's really sad. And the only next of kin she has listed is a sister who lives in Scotland."

"A sister?" Harry repeated.

"Yes, Maggie Dane, 37. She has even less on her than Kate does."

"Is Maggie's address listed?"

"Yes, here," Hermione handed him the file.

"We've got to see her; right after we see Kate and ask her-"

"Harry," Hermione sighed. "Kate's dead."

"Dead?" Ron frowned.

"Just recently too, that's why it wasn't in the file," Hermione said solemnly. "One of the nurses told me."

"Do they know how she died?" Harry asked.

"The nurse said it looked like suicide. It happened just about two weeks ago."

"Just a little after the attacks," Ron said quietly.

"Come on," Harry said, grabbing his cloak. "We've got to go see her sister."

"But we've got those Aurrors coming back from Albania any minute to report back to us," Ron said.

"Right," Harry said. "I forgot. Ron, you think you could stay?"

"Sure thing," he nodded. "Kingsley will have your skin if you go alone, though."

"Hermione?" Harry asked hopefully. "Will you come along?"

"I-okay," she said. "Let's go."

The two were just about to depart, when Seamus Finnigan, who worked in Hermione's department, burst in.

"Oh, good, Hermione; I found you," he panted. "I've got to get up to Hogwarts now. Could you tell Beastrow? She went out for lunch."

"Of course," Hermione said. "But why do you have to get up to the school?"

"Neville just sent me an owl; Tiffany's in the Hospital Wing, said it looks pretty serious."

"What happened?" asked Harry.

"I don't know, Neville didn't explain too much. Just said I should get up there."

"I hope she'll be okay," Hermione said. "Go on, Seamus. I'll make sure Wendy knows where you went."

"Thanks a bunch," he said, and turned and left.

"Madam Pomfrey will be able to fix her up," Harry said. "Come on, Hermione. We'll apperate from the lobby."

…..

The next morning when Alexandra and Alanna came into the common room, they found that somehow, the entire house seemed to have known something odd had happened with Tiffany last night, though none seemed to know the full details.

"What happened?" Fred asked the two as soon as he spotted them. "People are saying that Tiffany got attacked last night. Is it true?"

"She didn't get attacked," Alanna said. "She-She just woke up screaming, and covered in blood. Nobody besides me, Alexandra and Grace were in the room, and none of us did anything to her."

Alexandra remained silent, trying not to think about finding her wand underneath her covers.

"That's bizarre," Fred said, shaking his head.

"Do you know if she's alright?" Alexandra asked weakly.

"James snuck down to see if he could get a look of her before he left for breakfast," Fred said. "Told me that Madam Pomfrey had the curtains drawn around her bed, which is never a good sign. Also said that her dad was here."

"She's got to be alright, though," Alanna said tearfully. "I know we don't really like her, but still…"

"Yeah," Alexandra echoed.

Throughout the day, students continued to discuss Tiffany's injury, trying to figure out how a seemingly healthy young girl suddenly just started bleeding profusely in the middle of the night.

That evening, Neville came into the common room.

"I know you've all been wondering about Ms. Finnigan's condition," he said to the students. "And seeing as you are all in her house, I figure you should know. Madam Pomfrey managed to slow her bleeding and has given her a blood-replenishing potion, but she has been unable to stop it completely, and has not been able to determine what caused it. Because of this uncertainty regarding the injury, Ms. Finnigan has been moved to St. Mungo's."

Whispers erupted at once, and Alexandra felt a deep pang in her stomach.

"The Healers there say that the worst is over for her," Neville assured everyone. "This is merely a precaution. They estimate that she'll be back in classes within a week."

"St. Mungo's? Must be serious," Fred said as Neville finished his announcement. "And if Madam Pomfrey couldn't figure out what's wrong with her…"

"Grace must be awfully worried," Alanna said sadly. "She's her best friend."

"It's awful," Alexandra nodded.

Alexandra tried to assure herself that her finding her wand in her covers meant nothing. She probably just forgot to put it in the drawer-she had been terribly tired last night. And as for it pointing in Tiffany's direction, so what? It was just a coincidence. Besides, it's not like she _knew_ any spell that could do what had been done to Tiffany.

Alexandra kept replaying this thought in her head, hoping to make herself feel even the slightest bit better. But no matter how many times she repeated this mantra, she still had the same sick feeling.


	23. Chapter 23

"This is it?" Harry asked Hermione, letting go of her hand. They had just apperated to see Maggie Dane, and were now surrounded by a very woodsy area, with only a small house about half a mile away as any sign of civilization.

"Yes," Hermione nodded. "Come on; let's hope she's home."

They set off quickly towards the house, trudging through overgrown weeds and scattered rocks. Once they finally reached it, Hermione knocked on the door.

About a moment later, a small, thin looking woman opened the door a crack.

"Yes?" she asked in a raspy voice.

"Maggie Dane?" Harry asked.

"That's-That's me. Who are you?"

"We're from the Ministry," he replied. "We were wondering if we could ask you some questions."

"The Ministry?" she repeated. "Yes, yes. Alright."

She opened the door wider and allowed Harry and Hermione to enter.

The house was very cluttered. The shelves were overflowing with far too many books to hold, the table was littered with boxes, and all across the floor were various trinkets.

"Do you live here alone, Ms. Dane?" Hermione asked, stepping over an overturned umbrella stand.

"I do," she nodded. "Now, please. What is this about?"

"You're sister," Harry answered. "Kate."

"Kate?" Maggie said. "What do you want to know about her? Has she gotten into trouble? I knew something was wrong when she stopped writing me last month!"

Harry and Hermione exchanged looks.

"Um, Ms. Dane," Hermione said gently. "Why don't you sit down."

She led Maggie over to the musty couch. Harry followed, looking at the many pictures on the wall as he did. They were mostly of her and Kate; many when they were very young, both with looks of innocence on their face and their long, dark hair flowing behind their backs. There were some when the girls were older, and then a few of them with their parents.

"What happened with my sister?" Maggie said firmly, sitting down.

"She-She appeared to have killed herself," Harry said slowly. "About two weeks ago."

Maggie's entire face fell. "No."

"I'm so sorry," Hermione whispered.

"She wouldn't have killed herself," Maggie said shakily. "No. You must be mistaken."

"The nurse at St. Mungo's said she hung herself," Hermione told her. "She was found by the Milkman when he noticed that her bottles weren't being brought inside."

"She wouldn't have," Maggie said again.

"What makes you say that?" Harry asked her.

"She-She just wouldn't. I know her. We're best friends."

"You said you hadn't heard from her in a month," Harry said. "Do you mind me asking why?"

"Kate was going through some things," Maggie said, staring out the window. "She just lost her job at bookshop she was working at and was struggling to stay afloat. I told her to sell her house and move in wit me, but she told me that she would find herself and everything would be fixed. She wanted to find herself, don't you see? Not kill herself."

"Before you two stopped talking," Hermione said. "Did Kate seem odd? Like somebody was after her?"

"After her? I don't know what you mean," Maggie said quickly, still looking out the window. "Kate's a loner. Only spoke to me and when she worked at the bookshop, the owner of the place; a woman named Robyn Hale."

"What about the father of her baby?" Hermione asked softly.

Maggie shifted in her seat uncomfortably. "I don't know who he was."

"She didn't tell you?"

"No."

"You never saw her with any men?"

"No!"

"I'm sorry," Hermione said quickly.

"The baby's dead, you know?" Maggie sighed, turning back to the window.

"Yes, we know," Harry nodded. "It was a boy, right?"

"A boy. Yes."

"Ms. Dane," Harry said, reaching into his coat and pulling out pictures of the two men who had attacked the Ministry. "Do either of these men look familiar to you?"

Maggie looked at the pictures. The second she did, her eyes widened, and her fists closed tightly around her robes.

"Do you know them?" he asked hopefully.

"No," she shook her head, handing the pictures back to Harry. "I've never seen these men before in my life."

"Are you sure?" Hermione inquired.

"Very."

"Okay," Hermione nodded.

"You know that she was charged for robbing an Apothecary, right?" Harry asked her.

"She was young. She didn't have much money, and taking things was sometimes the only way she could make ends meet."

"Do you know what she stole?"

"I-I don't remember. Nothing valuable; just some potion ingredients to sell, I'm sure."

"Thank you for talking with us, Ms. Dane," Harry said, getting up. "And I am terrible sorry about your sister."

"It's a tragedy," Hermione agreed.

Maggie said nothing, and simply led the two to the door in silence.

"Get the sense that she's hiding something?" Harry asked Hermione as the two departed from the house.

"She knows who the men are, Harry," Hermione said. "She knows exactly who they are. And she knows who fathered Kate's son."

"You don't think she's in danger, do you?"

"I think she might be, Harry, she looked absolutely horrified."

"You think maybe she was onto something then?" Harry asked. "About Kate's death not being a suicide. You think whoever tried to have her record destroyed played any part in her death?"

"I don't know, Harry, it's possible," Hermione sighed. "The hospital probably didn't look too much into her death, seeing as it was called in as a suicide."

"I'm going to put some men on her house," Harry decided. "In the meantime, do you think we could get the hospital to take another look at her body?"

"It's already been cremated. They held it for a week while they tried to find her sister, but when they couldn't…all that's left is her ashes."

"So Maggie won't even have a body to lay to rest?" Harry commented.

"I know, it's awful," she agreed. "St. Mungo's usually doesn't do that; told me there was some sort of mix up."

"Mix up?" Harry frowned. "I doubt it."

The two apperated back to the Ministry and headed back to Harry and Ron's office.

"They found nothing in Albania," Ron told Harry when him and Hermione walked back in. "But they haven't finished searching one location. Told them to get some sleep and go back tomorrow."

"Good," Harry nodded.

"What did you find out from Dane?"

"We're starting to think that Kate's death might not have been a suicide," Hermione said.

"We think it was staged," Harry told him. "By whoever sent those blokes to attack. And I think that Maggie might be in danger as well. I'm going to go get a couple of Aurrors to watch her house now."

…

A week had passed since Tiffany's attack, and its effect was finally beginning to ware down. Now the biggest news around the school was the upcoming Quidditch match between Gryffindor and Hufflepuff.

"We've got the game set," Fred said the morning of the match. "Hufflepuff lost to Ravenclaw 190 to 0."

"Savannah said that their Keeper is really good," Alanna pointed out.

"You shouldn't have any trouble, the way you two played last game," Alexandra said.

"Thanks," Fred replied, looking at his watch. "Whoa. The game starts in twenty minutes. Come on, Alanna, we should get to the locker rooms."

"I'll see you after the game," Alexandra called after them.

She finished eating her breakfast alone, and was about to get up and go get a seat when James and Louis joined her.

"Morning," James greeted her, grabbing a sausage link. "Not exactly the ideal day for a Quidditch match, is it?"

All morning, thunder had been sounding throughout the whole castle, and a steady rainfall had been coming down for hours.

"No," she agreed.

"If we can manage to win this game by at least fifty points," Louis said. "We'll be in great shape for the match against Ravenclaw."

"That's going to be tough in this weather, though," James said. "Well, at least Hufflepuff is a pushover. Come on, let's go get seats under the overhang before they're all taken."

Alexandra was about to get up and follow them, when she saw out of the corner of her eye, Wretermoust standing at the other end of the hall, and he was signaling for her to come over.

"I'll be right there; you two go on," she told the boys. "I've just got to run back up to the common room for something."

Shrugging, James and Louis quickly set off to the Quidditch pitch.

Alexandra didn't head towards Wretermoust right a way. She first simply started at him, and then, going against every sensible bone in her body, she made her way over to him.

"What do you want?" she demanded, trying to muster a sense of bravery into her voice.

"Just wanted to say well done," he replied, leading her out of the Great Hall.

"Well done? For what?"

He stopped walking. "Well, it's obvious, isn't it?"

"No, it's not."

"I was congratulating you for your attack on Finnigan."

"Tiffany?" she exclaimed. "I didn't have anything to do with that!"

"That may be what you keep telling yourself, but you know that's not true deep down."

"I was asleep when Tiffany woke up screaming, for your information," she snapped. "Nobody knows what happened, but she wasn't attacked. She couldn't have been."

"The teachers suspect that she was," Wretermoust said simply. "McGonagall talked to one of the Healers at St. Mungo's, and her said that her wound couldn't have been caused by anything else except for Dark magic."

"Well then, I don't know how that happened," Alexandra said. "Because I don't know any. Most students here couldn't do anything like that. You're the only one Dark enough to do something like that."

"True," he nodded. "But you are as well."


	24. Chapter 24

"Alexandra, we won!" Alanna said happily, running into the common room, soaked from head to toe. "Can you believe it?"

"Congratulations," Alexandra replied. She had never made it down to the game. After talking with Wretermoust she didn't feel much like watching a Quidditch game, so she headed back up to the common room.

"There was never any doubt," Fred shrugged, drenched as well. "You saw that one shot I made though, right Alexandra, where I dove under that bludger?"

"Of course," she lied quickly.

"Where did you sit?" James asked. "We saved you a seat, but you never came over."

"Oh, by the time I got out it was too hard to get through the crowd to reach you, so I just sat by some other Gryffindors."

"I'm going to go shower," Fred said. "I'm bloody freezing."

"Alanna," Alexandra said softly as James and Louis continued talking about the match. "Have you heard that the teachers here think that someone attacked Tiffany?"

"What? But no one-"

"I know," Alexandra said. "But I heard on the way to the game that McGonagall talked to some of the healers, and they told her that nothing could've caused her the wound except for Dark magic."

"That can't be right," Alanna frowned. "Us and Grace were the only ones in the room. We don't know _how _to do Dark magic. You don't think somebody _else _was in the room, do you?"

"I-I don't know," Alexandra said. "It doesn't seem likely; if somebody else was in the room, why would they only attack Tiffany? Her bed is furthest from the door for one thing, and wouldn't the person attack us all?"

"You're right," Alanna nodded. "Maybe, maybe the healers are mistaken."

Suddenly, Grace walked over to the girls. "Professor Longbottom wants to talk to the two of you."

"To us?" Alexandra asked. "Why?"

"About the night Tiffany was attacked," she replied. "He's just finished talking to me. Asked me if I saw anything suspicious. He's in his office now."

Alexandra felt her heart thud in her chest. If Professor Longbottom was talking to the entire dormitory, then maybe he did suspect one of them having to do something with it…

"I just have to dry off first," Alanna said. "Is he going to talk to us separately?"

"Yes," Grace nodded.

"So Alexandra, why don't you head down there," she suggested. "And I'll come when I change."

"Alright," Alexandra agreed, though she would've much preferred to wait for her friend. She knew where Neville's office was located, though she had never actually been there. When she reached the door, she paused before knocking.

"Come in," he called from inside.

"Grace told me you wanted to see me," she said nervously, walking inside. His office was cluttered with a variety of plants and flowers, and on his desk was a single photo of him, Harry, Ron, Hermione, Ginny and Luna.

"Yes, have a seat," he said kindly. "I just want to discuss with you the events that took place about a week ago."

"With Tiffany?"

"Yes. Now, Ms. Finnigan is doing fine at the hospital, and her father has told me that she will be returning at the end of the week."

Alexandra nodded. "I'm glad."

"As am I. What I wanted to discuss, though, is how she got attacked."

Alexandra didn't say anything.

"Professor McGonagall has talked to some of the healers and they told her that there was no possible way that Ms. Finnigan's wound was caused by anything other than Dark magic. I want to ask you if you saw her doing anything out of the ordinary the day she was attacked."

"Out of the ordinary?" she repeated.

"Yes, you know, handling an unusual object, using ingredients other than those instructed in potions class, things like that."

"I really don't spend much time with her outside of the dormitory, professor," she told him. "All I know is that she woke up screaming and covered with blood."

"You don't know anything else?"

"No," she said quickly. "Nothing."

Neville stared at her for a moment, and then nodded. "Thank you, Ms. Dursley, I appreciate your coming here. Now, if you could just send Ms. Brooklyn to me-"

"She was on her way down when I came. She just had to change."

"Great then," Neville replied.

Alexandra turned to leave the office. Alanna was waiting outside the door.

"How was it?" she asked.

"He just asked a few questions," Alexandra replied. "Do you want me to wait for you?"

"No, go on back up to the common room."

Alexandra watched Alanna walk into office, and the started back.

She felt a little uneasy about the way Professor Longbottom had looked at her; did he suspect she had something to do with it?

_Not that I did_, she added to herself. No. There was no way she had anything to do with the attack.

…..

"I'm telling you, this woman is untraceable," Ron sighed. "Kate Dane must've barely had contact with the outside world; Maggie as well."

"There's got to be something," Harry sighed.

Him and Ron had spent the entire morning so far trying to find any thing that looked suspicious in either sister's past. They were having no luck, though, and were beginning to feel defeated.

"What about the owner of the bookshop where Kate worked?" Ron suggested.

"Talked to her last night; she barely knew her. Said she came and went without a word. Only reason she let her go was because she was closing the shop to spend time with her family."

"Has Maggie ever worked?"

"Not as far as I can tell," Harry said. "Looks like she bought her house with the money her parents left her when they died."

"You guys," Hermione said, bursting into the room with a large book in hand. "I think I may have found something interesting."

"What?" Harry asked.

"Well, Maggie seemed so convinced that Kate would never commit suicide, so I did some research. Had to go to a muggle library because well, hanging isn't really a common form of suicide in the magical world. Anyway," she said, flipping through the book. "This book tells of thousands of cases of posed suicides in England, and according to it, it isn't all too difficult to cover up a death by making it look like the person was hung."

"So Kate was murdered then?" Ron asked.

"I can't be sure," Hermione replied. "But I've looked through many cases of it, and one of the only things that can really determine it is the position of the knot on the noose."

"What about it?" Harry inquired.

"Well, if you're tying a rope around your own neck, it'll be in a different position than if someone was tying it on you. A lot of times, though, the body is removed before anyone really gets a good look."

"The only person who saw her hanging was the milkman that found her, though," Harry pointed out. "I doubt he'll remember how the noose was tied."

"Actually," Hermione said slowly. "If-If we bring him in, we can extract his memory of the day he found her, and then I'll look at it and hopefully be able to determine whether or not Kate really killed herself."

"You're brilliant, Hermione," Harry said. "Absolutely brilliant. I'll get two Aurrors to find the milkman and-"

"I've already had two men from my department go and collect him," she told him. "He should be here within the hour."

"I'm telling you, 'Mione," Ron grinned. "You need to run for head of that Department. Beastrow's term is almost up and she'll be running unopposed again next time if no one steps up."

"Ron," Hermione smiled. "I don't think-"

She was interrupted by the door flying open abruptly, and Neville came in.

"Harry," he said. "I need to talk to you."


	25. Chapter 25

"What's going on?" Harry asked Neville, frowning.

"You know about Seamus's daughter, right?" he said.

"All Seamus told me was that she got hurt up at the school," Harry replied. "Is she alright?"

"Now. She had to be moved to St. Mungo's, though."

"Oh my goodness," Hermione gasped. "What happened, Neville?"

"She woke up in the middle of the night covered in blood," he told her. "Madam Pomfrey was able to slow the bleeding, but she couldn't stop it completely, so we had to transfer her to St. Mungo's."

"Well, what caused it?" Ron asked.

"The healers say only Dark magic could've," Neville said gravely. "But, well, that's what I need to ask you about…we have no idea how that could be."

"What do you mean?" Harry asked.

"She was alone that night," Neville explained. "The only ones around her were three other second-year girls. None of them could've done it."

"Well, maybe something happened earlier in the day," Harry pointed out. "Maybe she came across a cursed object somewhere in the castle."

"That's what I thought," Neville nodded "And the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor is currently trying to find anything in the castle that could be cursed. But, well, I talked to each of the girls in the dormitory, and only Ernie's daughter, Grace, was around her during the day. The other two, Alexandra and her friend Alanna, said that they don't talk to her much. Anyway, Grace said that Tiffany didn't do anything outside the norm that day."

"No one could've snuck into the castle?" Ron asked.

"No, the portrait of the Fat Lady told me that no one entered the common room after ten that night, and they were all students," Neville sighed. "Anyway, I came here to ask you a favor, Harry. Could you go down to the hospital and take a look at the wound? Maybe you'll be able to tell what caused it."

"I'll have a look," Harry nodded. "But I reckon Ron and Hermione should come along as well; I might miss something."

"The more eyes the better," Neville said. "Can you go now?"

"We can," Ron said. "What about you, Hermione?"

"Yes," she replied.

"Brilliant," Neville said in a relieved tone. "Thanks, you guys. I have to get back to the school, but keep me posted on anything you find out."

"No problem," Harry told him.

Harry, Ron and Hermione apperated from the lobby to the waiting room of St. Mungo's.

"Can I help you?" asked the cross-looking witch at the front desk without even looking up.

"We're here to see Tiffany Finnigan," Hermione said.

"Sign in," the witch replied lazily, pointing to the sign in book.

"Friendly, isn't she?" Ron mumbled, picking up the quill.

"What floor is she on?" Harry asked the witch.

"Fourth."

"Er, thanks," Harry said.

"Do you think she really got cursed inside Hogwarts?" Hermione asked as the three started upstairs. "I mean, how would she have gotten anything? Everyone was checked when they arrived at the school."

"She could've gotten outside of school," Ron suggested. "Like Katie Bell did our sixth year."

"Yes, but Tiffany's a second year, Ron," Hermione said. "She wouldn't be going to Hogsmeade."

"Looks like this is her room," Harry said, stopping at a door with 'Tiffany Finnigan' written on it. He knocked, and a moment later, Seamus opened it.

"Harry?" he said, stepping aside and opening the door wider. "Ron? Hermione? What are you three doing here?"

"We want to take a look at Tiffany's wound," Harry said in a low voice so Tiffany, who was sitting on a bed on the other side of the room couldn't hear. "We've heard that it was caused by Dark magic, and we want to see if we can tell what caused it."

"Of course," Seamus nodded. "Tiffany, you've got some visitors."

"Hello," she said weakly.

"Hello," Harry replied kindly. He had met Tiffany only on a few occasions.

"They want to examine your wound," Seamus told her gently. "Can you show it to them?"

Tiffany nodded, and pushed up her jumper to reveal her abdomen. The wound was in the shape of a perfect circle. It looked burned and scabbed, and Harry felt a pang of sympathy for the girl; though it was healed, Harry knew it would never fade.

"Does it hurt?" Hermione asked softly.

"Off and on," Tiffany answered. "I've been taking a potion for the pain though."

"Healers said that she'll need to take it for the next month," Seamus added.

Harry continued to look at the wound; he knew just from looking at it that it had to have been inflicted by very powerful Dark magic, but it looked to be from a spell, not a cursed object.

"Thanks," Harry said to Tiffany, and she pushed her jumper back over her stomach.

"Tiffany, did you do anything outside the norm the day this happened to you," Ron asked. "You know, pick up any strange objects, things like that?"

"I did what I do everyday," she responded.

"Do you remember anything before the attack?" Harry asked.

"Actually," she said thoughtfully. "I remember some red light…I thought it was a dream, and I started to drift back to sleep, and that's when I felt my stomach. I hadn't thought about the light until now, though."

"Do you remember from what direction it came from?"

Tiffany shook her head.

"But, now it sounds like she was attacked," Seamus said, standing up, clutching his daughter's shoulder.

"Seamus, we're going to figure this out," Hermione said soothingly. "The important thing is that Tiffany's all right."

Seamus nodded, still looking very worried.

"Sorry we can't stay longer," Harry said. "But we need to get back to the Ministry. I'm glad to see you're doing well, Tiffany."

"The wound was definitely caused by wand work," Harry said as soon as they left the room. "Not a cursed object."

"At least now we know there aren't cursed things just lying around the school," Ron pointed out.

"No, just crazed maniacs attacking students, apparently," Harry said.

"Red light," Hermione said slowly. "Sounds like a stunning spell, but it obviously wasn't…"

"It sounds like someone was actually in the room with her," Ron said. "But-But the Fat Lady said no one entered the common room. Think someone came in through the window?"

"Maybe," Harry said.

"Honestly," Hermione sighed, exasperated. "Will you one day pick up _Hogwarts, A History_?"

"No," Ron said flatly. "I read the first page of that thing a few years back and fell asleep before I finished the first sentence."

"For your information, your daughter has read it," she snapped.

"Really?" Ron asked, looking rather impressed.

"Yes. And anyway, it would be impossible to get up to the tower where the Gryffindor common room is from the outside. Godric Gryffindor himself imposed a special protection around it, so no one could ever get to it unless they were in the castle. All the founders did that to their common rooms, although Slytherin needn't have bothered, since his is in the dungeons."

"But then the only ones who could've caused the red light would be one of the girls," Harry frowned. "And there's no way a twelve year old could do that type of magic."

"What if," Ron said, stopping in his tracks. "They were possessed?"

"Possessed?" Hermione repeated.

"Well, remember when we brought up Katie Bell? I just remembered that Draco had used the Imperius charm on her to get her to try to deliver that necklace to Dumbledore. What if someone used it on one of the girls in Tiffany's dorm and _made_ them attack her."

"Who would do that?" Hermione asked, horrified. "It would have to another student!"

"He could be onto something," Harry sighed. "Hermione, wand checks are your department; do you think you could have someone go down to the school?"

Hermione nodded. "Yes. I'll go down myself as well. I just hope we don't find out that Ron's theory is true."


	26. Chapter 26

Alexandra sat in the library with Fred, working on a rather tedious assignment for Astronomy.

"Can't remember how many moons Neptune has," Fred mumbled, biting the end of his quill. "I'll just go with five."

"Sounds good," Alexandra grinned, jotting it down. "Maybe we should've borrowed Alanna's notes."

"Nah, this is quicker," Fred said. "Okay…let's see; I'm pretty sure that one constellation we looked at last lesson was right next to Orion, yes, that seems right. Great, looks like I'm done!"

"Lucky you," Alexandra sighed. "I still have three more inches."

"Want to copy mine?"

"No, thanks, I'll just go grab a book," she said.

"Right, well, I'm going to go meet James and Louis by the kitchens. You want anything?"  
>"Er, that's all right."<p>

"Suit yourself," he shrugged, stuffing his books into his bag.

Alexandra pushed her chair back, and headed to the shelves where the Astronomy books were kept, which happened to be right next to a window. She looked outside, and to her surprise, she saw Hermione and another wizard strolling up the grounds towards the castle. She frowned. She knew Hermione worked for the Ministry, and she wondered why on earth the Ministry would be coming up to the school.

Curiosity getting the best of her, Alexandra decided her Astronomy essay would simply have to wait. Grabbing her bag from the table, she hurried out of the library and ran up towards the Gryffindor common room, hoping that maybe one of the Weasley's would know why their aunt was here.

Suddenly, though, as she was turning a corner, she tripped, and the contents of her bag spilled. Cursing under her breath, she quickly stuffed everything back in, picked up her wand which must have slipped out of her pocket, and continued on her way.  
>As she reached the common room, Alanna was just coming out of it.<p>

"Oh, I was just coming to look for you," Alanna said.

"What for?" Alexandra asked, catching her breath.

"The Ministry of Magic is here," she replied seriously, her eyes wide. "They need to talk to me, you and Grace. Come on."

Alexandra reluctantly followed. Hermione was talking with Professor McGonagall, and the other wizard, whom she did not recognize, was explaining something to Neville.

Of course, as a visit from the Ministry was anything but ordinary, the Gryffindor students were huddled amongst themselves, whispering as to what this could possibly be about.

"Let's get this underway," the wizard who had been talking to Neville said, walking over to Alexandra and Alanna, and Grace, who had just joined them.

"You can use my office," Neville said.

"It shouldn't take long," Hermione said, walking next to the other wizard.

Neville nodded, and led the party to his office.

"We'll inform you when it's over with," the wizard said briskly. "Now then," he continued once Neville had left. "My name is Albert Dunner, Department of Magical Law Enforcement, and this is my partner, Hermione Granger-"

"We're not partners, Albert," Hermione said in an undertone.

"We are here to investigate the suspicious events that took place here two weeks ago concerning Ms. Tiffany Finnigan. You will be submitted to a wand search which will-"

"What he means," Hermione cut him off. "Is that simply as a precautionary measure, we're just going to look at your wands to see what spells have been performed with them. It's a quick procedure, and it will not harm your wand in the slightest."

Alexandra felt her stomach drop. What if the found something with her wand? They couldn't, though, right? Because she had nothing to do with Tiffany's attack after all. But still…

"Grace, would you mind going first?" Hermione asked kindly.

Grace handed her wand over.

Albert took it, and then with his own wand, muttered an incantation. Many shadowy forms of the wands past spells erupted from the tip, all of them being the simple spells they worked on in lessons the past two weeks.

"Very well, this one is clean," he announced. "You can go."

Grace took her wand and departed from the room.

"Alanna, is it, if I remember correctly?" Hermione smiled, looking at Alanna. "Nice to see you again. Would you mind-"

"No, here you go," Alanna said, giving her wand over.

Hermione performed the test this time. Just as with Grace's wand, many misty versions of past spells poured out.

"Everything looks to be in order," Hermione announced. "Thank you, Alanna." She handed her the wand back. "You may go back to the common room."

Giving Alexandra a friendly smile, Alanna left the room.

"All right, you next," Albert said, turning towards Alexandra.

"Her name's Alexandra," Hermione told him.

"Yes, yes," Albert said dismissively. "Your wand, young lady?"

Preparing for the worst, Alexandra reached for her wand inside her robe pocket, and pulled it out.

As Albert grabbed it from her, though, Alexandra made a startling realization: that wasn't her wand!

Her wand was dark, dark brown, while this wand was a tan color.

Alexandra opened her mouth to say something, but Hermione was already performing the test.

"Looks good," she said, finishing up and handing it back to Alexandra. "Thank you for your time, Alexandra. I hope I'll see you at the Easter holiday."

Alexandra nodded, and pulled a smile onto her face. She headed out of Neville's office, and started back to the common room.

How had she gotten this wand? And more importantly, where was hers? It must've fallen out of her pocket when she tripped, she figured, but still, how did this foreign was end up in her possession?

She climbed the staircase that would get her back to the common room. On the fifth step, though, she spotted something lying there. Upon closer examination, she found that it was none other than her own wand.

But how? How in the world could her wand have gotten here, when she fell near the library? She cautiously picked it up. It seemed all right. She pulled out the other wand. What did she do with this one? Turn it in to Professor McGonagall? No, what if she figured out that Alexandra had passed it off for her own during the test?

Without really thinking, Alexandra put the foreign wand back on the step, exactly where she had found her own, and ran the rest of the way back to the common room.


	27. Chapter 27

Dudley sighed as he hung up his phone. He had just gotten off from talking with his father's lawyer, Donald Gold, about his current situation with his ex-wife. Donald had told him that because Mildred had much more money and a better job than him, she was going to have an obvious advantage. He had told him that because Mildred had never physically hurt Alexandra, the court would be inclined to grant her at least partial custody if she went along with her story that she wanted to see her daughter and become a better mother.

Donald had told him, however, that the two could do a bit of digging into Mildred's past, and see if anything came up that would make the court system see her in a different light. It was a long shot, of course, but Dudley was willing to take it.

The only problem, though, was that Donald needed Dudley to drive up to his office, which was at least a day away from his home, and stay for about a week, so he would be unable to pick up Alexandra for the Easter holiday. He didn't like this, but if it meant keeping Mildred out of their lives, he was going to have to do it.

….

"Find anything?" Ron asked his wife as she walked into his and Harry's office.

"Nothing," she sighed. "All three girls' wands were clean. The only spells that had been performed on them were the simple ones from class."

"Can't say I'm not relieved," Harry said.

"Same here," Hermione nodded. "Have you found anything else out about Kate and Maggie Dane yet?"

"We've got three blokes watching Maggie's house," Ron replied. "They're reporting back every hour, but so far nothing."

"I doubt she leaves that house for anything," Harry said. "What time is it?"

"Nearly ten. We should all be getting home," Hermione answered.

"Yeah, we need to pick up Rose and Hugo," Ron yawned.

"They can just stay at our place," Harry told them. "Lily and Al have spent three nights at your place last week, after all."

"Thanks mate," Ron said.

"Yes, thank you Harry," Hermione smiled. "Are you apperating home?"

"Nah, think I'll just take the Floo. See you two tomorrow."

He gave a quick wave to the couple, and then headed towards the fireplaces.

"I was wondering when you would get home," Ginny said as her husband spun into their fireplace.

"Sorry, Ron and I wanted to wait for Hermione to get back with the wand checks."

"Please tell me she didn't find anything," she said, kissing Harry quickly.

"Nothing."

"Well, at least we know one of those girls didn't do it," she sighed.

"Kids still up?" Harry asked.

"Lily and Hugo are sleeping, and Albus and Rose may still be up playing chess."

"Well, they can play for hours, those two," Harry said, hanging up his jacket. "Want to just watch something on the television?"

"You'll have to turn it on; I still haven't figured out how to work it," she told him. "Too many buttons."

"We've had for eight years," he grinned.

"Yes well, after I nearly broke the comptor-"

"Computer."

"Whatever. Anyway, since then, I've sworn off your muggle gadgets."

"Just let me put these files away," Harry laughed.

"Alright. I'll make us hot chocolate."

Harry headed to his office, a small room near the staircase. It was mostly filled with old books, and a desk was crammed by the window, next to a locked set of cabinets. He tossed the files onto his already cluttered desk, and was about to turn and leave the room, when he stopped, and stared at the cabinets.

Slowly, he unlocked the doors, and pulled out a large basin filled with silvery liquid.

Ginny was the only person in the world who knew he kept a Pensive. He used it from time to time, when his mind was feeling particularly overwhelmed which, thankfully, hadn't been in years.

He stared at the foggy substance, remembering just what they held. A sudden urge overcame him, and he carefully lowered his head into the basin.

The scene instantly changed, and he was staring down a long, dark corridor. A second later, he heard the sound of people running, and soon, faces emerged, coming around a corner.

He instantly recognized himself, along with Ron, within in the group of about twenty Aurrors.

"Alright," said the Aurror at the head of the group. "We know she's here. She's got three Aurrors, and we don't know whether they're dead or alive. I estimate she's probably got fifty wizards working for her, so be alert. Now then, Jones, Ramsey and McQuinn, you take the door on the right. Potter, Weasley, Ronski: you take the one on the left. Everyone else come with me and we'll head to the main room."

The appointed men separated themselves from the group, and watched as the others continued down the corridor.

"Come on," Ronski said to Harry and Ron, clutching the doorknob. "Be prepared for anything."

Harry and Ron nodded, both holding their wands at the ready.

Everything happened so fast.

As Ronski turned the doorknob, green blasts filled the corridor, and wizards in dark robes appeared all around the Aurrors.

The entire corridor was filled with screams. Ronski was killed almost at once, and Harry and Ron and the other Aurrors were now battling the dark-robed wizards.

Harry watched on as he saw his past self dueling with a particularly large one, dodging killing spells left and right. Harry finally managed to stun him, and was about to turn to another one, when suddenly, there was a blinding flash, and through a huge cloud of flames stepped out the woman they were looking for: Claridina Wretermoust. She shot a killing spell at McQuinn without batting an eye, and stepped through the mess of bodies before her, staring straight at Harry.

"Claridina Wretermoust," he said, pointing his wand right at her. "Throw down your wand or we _will_ kill you."

"You haven't the stomach to kill me, boy," she spat, continuing to walk towards Harry, ignoring the remaining Aurrors. "Or you would've done so by now."

"Lower your wand," Harry said.

Claridina smirked, and made a movement to raise her wand hand, but Harry was quicker.

"Expelliarmus!"

"Very impressive, Potter," she said, coming even closer, her long, blonde hair cascading down her back. "If I recall, you used that one on Lord Voldemort."

"Harry! Stun her!" Ron yelled.

"You thought it was all over, Potter," she sneered, less than a yard away from Harry. "You thought Voldemort was the end of all your troubles. But you were wrong. They've only just begun."

Harry watched as his past self sent out a great wave of red lights, and saw Claridina's body crumple to the ground. The scene got fainter and fainter, and the next minute, he was back alone in his office.


	28. Chapter 28

Alexandra started at the letter in her hand. Her father had just written her saying that she would have to stay at school over the Easter holiday because he had business to take care of up north then. Alexandra got the sinking feeling that this 'business' had to have something to do with her mother. She stuffed the letter into her bag and pulled out her Potions book.

"What's up?" Alanna asked her. The girls were sitting at their usual table in the Gryffindor common room working on homework.

"My dad wrote me and said I'd have to stay here for break," she replied.

"Oh, I'm sorry," Alanna said.

"At least I'll have you for company," Alexandra smiled.

"You bet."

"Did you two hear?" Fred asked, sliding into the third chair at the table. "Tiffany's back. Just arrived a moment ago."

"Does she seem alright?" Alanna asked.

"She must be, otherwise they wouldn't let her out of the hospital. She still looks pretty sore, though."

Right on cue, the portrait door swung open and Tiffany walked in alongside Grace, who was carrying her friend's bag. Many students swarmed the girls, welcoming Tiffany back and asking her exactly what had happened to her.

"You'd think everyone would have something better to do than to sit there and pester her," Fred said. "Anyway, you'll never guess what I saw on my way up here."

"What?" both girls asked.

"That git Wretermoust," he replied darkly. "Setting that painting of school children on fire!"

"No!" Alanna gasped, horrified. "Are you sure?"

"Positive," Fred nodded. "Luckily, Filch caught him before it got real out of hand, and managed to put it out with his coat. When is McGonagall going to throw that bloke out?"

"Not until he really hurts someone, probably," Alexandra sighed. "And I hate to say it, but he's come close quite a few times."

"I know," Fred nodded. "Although, I've got to say I'm surprised he's waited this long before he tried to set something on fire, I mean, from what I've heard, his family's really handy with it."

"What do you mean?" Alexandra asked.

"Well, James told me that he heard his dad and our Uncle Ron talking one night, and they were saying how his mother did things with fire that they didn't even know was possible," he whispered.

"Things like what?"

"No clue," Fred said. "I can't even imagine."

…

"I don't get it," Lily moaned to her father. "Why do I have to learn it, daddy?"

"Because it's important, Lil," Harry sighed.

"But I'm a witch," she said crossly. "Why do I still have to go to regular school? No one else does."

"Al does. So do Hugo and Rose."

"None of my other cousins do," she pointed out.

"None of them have muggle family."

"Neither do I. Only your cousin. And that doesn't even count because his own daughter is a witch."

"Well she went to primary school as well," Harry told her. "Come on, sweetie, this homework can't be that hard."

"It's arithmetic. I hate arithmetic. I don't get these fractions, daddy. Help me."

Harry took his daughters workbook and stared at the many problems. It seemed that all those years of his own schooling before Hogwarts had faded over time.

Luckily, Hermione apperated into the living room just then.

"Why don't you ask your aunt, Lil?" he said.

"Aunt Hermione, can you help me with this?" Lily asked sweetly.

"Sure, Lily, just in a moment. I have to talk to your dad about something first."

"Okay, I'll be in the kitchen," Lily said.

"Really smooth, Harry," Hermione said, shaking her head. "Do you honestly remember nothing from primary school?"

"It was a long time ago!" he defended. "And I got decent marks. But I spent most of my time avoiding getting beaten up by Dudley's gang."

"Yes well," Hermione said. "I just got back from St. Mungo's."

"Why were you there?"

"I was trying to find some more information on the Dane's," she replied.

"And did you?"

Hermione nodded. "It's really quite strange, though. I was looking to see if I could find more about the father of Kate's baby, so I was trying to find out when it had been born, so I could go back about nine months and see if I could find anyone Kate had made contact with during that time. So I dug through all the files looking for the death certificate of the baby."

"Did you find it?" Harry asked.

"No," Hermione said. "At first I thought it might've gotten lost, so I decided to look for anything else about Kate herself. I found something that wasn't in her record."

"What?"

"She had taken an Embrotrans potion!"

"Er?" Harry said blankly. "A what?"

"It's a potion that's rarely used," Hermione explained. "Because it carries so many risks, but basically, a woman takes it so that she can carry the child of another woman."

"So are you saying that the baby wasn't even hers?" Harry frowned.

"It looks that way," Hermione nodded. "Kate took the first dose of the potion in March 2003, so she must've given birth in December."

"But who was she having the baby for?" Harry asked. "Maggie, maybe?"

"Maggie's infertile, according to her hospital records," Hermione told him. "The potion only works if the eggs from the biological mother are healthy. Anyway, I figured if there wasn't a death record for the baby, then maybe there was a chance it was born alive, and in which case, there would be a birth record. So I did some more digging and looked at every one for a March birth in 2003. There were about 500."

"So it's going to end up being another long week of looking at files then?" Harry sighed. "We'll have to sort through them all and-"

"No, you wont," Hermione grinned. "In 1956, the Ministry made it mandatory that any delivery from the Embrotrans potion be marked. The potion was brand new back then, and they wanted to make sure that the babies didn't develop any health problems down the road. Although, the list of woman who have gone through this process is kept highly confidential."

"So you couldn't get it?"

"Oh, I got it," Hermione said. "I might've had to Confund the nurse at the desk, but I managed to get it."

"Brilliant, Hermione," Harry said. "So what woman did Kate have a baby for?"

Hermione took a deep breath. "Claridina Wretermoust."


	29. Chapter 29

"But-But how can that be?" Harry stammered. "Claridina only has one son, and we both saw her pregnant with him."

"_Her_ baby died, Harry. It was a stillborn. I found a death certificate for a Nicholas Ian Wretermoust. The baby that she had Kate give birth to must be Rolwat."

"Okay," Harry said slowly. "But I'm still confused. If Kate Dane gave birth to her son, then what possible reason would there be to destroy her files at the Ministry? What's so awful about it?"

"It doesn't make sense, I know," Hermione said. "But, well, Harry, Claridina is the only link we have to Kate Dane besides her sister. Maybe you were right. Maybe the men who attacked the Ministry were working for her."

"We need to arrest her then!" Harry exclaimed. "She'll be thrown back in Azkaban-"

"Harry, you know that we don't have enough evidence to convict her yet," Hermione said. "Just because Kate Dane had her baby and her record happened to get destroyed doesn't necessarily mean that she did it."

"But you just-"

"I know, Harry. I'm just telling you what Beastrow is going to say. Maybe," she sighed. "Maybe if we let the men know that we know they're working for Claridina, then they'll confess."

"They're in Azkaban, Hermione," Harry said. "I doubt they're up to confessing. But I'll see what I can get. I'll go down there first thing tomorrow morning."

…..

"I still can't get over how quiet it is in here," Alexandra said to Alanna, as the two girls lay sprawled out by the fire playing Gobstones with the set Fred had left them. The Easter holiday had begun three days ago, and the only Gryffindor students that remained were two fifth years and one sixth year.

"I really like it," Alanna nodded. "I don't get that much quiet at home. One of my little sisters is always crying about something."

"But at least it never gets boring," Alexandra pointed out. "I wish I had someone to play with all the time at home."

"You get sick of it real fast," Alanna mumbled. "I share a room with three of my sisters, and I can't keep them from touching anything. My books, my clothes…you name it and they've destroyed it."

"That does sound rough," Alexandra said.

"Sometimes I'll just sit outside all day underneath this really big tree in our yard," Alanna told her. "Until eventually someone else comes out, and I have to find a new spot."

Alexandra didn't know how to respond to this.

"Are you hungry?" Alanna asked, changing the subject.

"Starved," Alexandra nodded. "Dinner won't be for another couple hours."

"What do you say," Alanna grinned mischievously. "We sneak down to the kitchens? I think I remember the way."

"Fred's been rubbing off on you, hasn't he?" Alexandra laughed. "But sure, lets do it. I think most of the teachers went into the village to get drinks anyway."

The girls quickly ran out of the common room and made their way downstairs, careful to be alert for any wandering teachers. When they at last reached the painting of the bowl of fruit, Alexandra tickled to pear, and the picture swung wide open.

"Hello ladies!" said a tiny house-elf, rushing over to meet the two. "Welcome! What is we be doing fors you?"

"Er, well, we were feeling a little hungry," Alanna started. "And we were wondering if you had any leftover food that we might have?"

"Of course!" he shouted happily. "Please just be waiting one moment!"

"They're so friendly," Alanna whispered to Alexandra.

"And they listen so well," Alexandra nodded. "They'll do anything you ask."

"Here you is going," the house elf said, carrying a pile of jam tarts, biscuits, and éclairs. "Swilly is hoping you is liking it, no?"

"It's excellent, thanks," Alanna said kindly. "We really appreciate it."

Just as the girls were about to leave the kitchen, there was a loud popping noise, and a crouching, wrinkling house elf appeared.

"Where has Kreacher been?" asked Swilly. "Swilly is needing help with the roast."

"Kreacher has been with his family," the old house elf replied. "He is helping mistress make dinner."

"Kreacher?" Alanna whispered to Alexandra. "Didn't Fred say that was the name of the Potter's house elf?"

"I think so," she nodded. "Although, it doesn't look like he'd be too much help…"

"Come on. We'd better get going."

"You know," Alexandra said as the girls headed back to the common room. "I reckon I'd like to have a house elf. They'd be mighty handy."

"I suppose," Alanna shrugged. "But I still don't think it's right that they have to work so hard."

Once the girls had eaten their snacks, Alanna pointed out they had a heavy load of homework, and had best get started on it.

"I will in a moment," Alexandra assured her. "I just need to bring back this book before Madam Pince throws a fit…"

Alexandra hurried down to the library and quickly returned her book. She was about to head right back upstairs, but she caught sight of the sunny day outside, and decided that getting a bit of fresh air certainly wouldn't do her any harm.

She stepped out onto the grounds, basking in the warmth. It was such a peaceful day that it was hard for to even think about her situation with her mother or the odd wand that had appeared in her possession. She walked through the crisp grass, looking around at the many beautiful flowers Professor Longbottom had planted. Then, she stopped, and looked over towards the forest.

It seemed to be calling for her, and even though she knew very well that it was forbidden, she found her legs guiding her there as if they had a mind of their own. She walked into the forest, not so far as to get lost, but deep enough so no one could spot her walking by. She sat down at the base of a tree, and looked around.

It was very calm in here, and she rather enjoyed the feeling. Just then, she heard the sounds of hoofs in the earth, and she turned around to see a family of Thestrals approaching her. She instinctively jumped up, but slowly realized that these creatures didn't appear to be posing any threat to her. They looked very gentle, and even a little frightened.

"It's okay," she said to the creatures, cautiously moving closer to them. "I'm not going to hurt you." She slowly extended her arm, and softly stroked the smallest one's neck.

For once, Alexandra didn't feel frightened about being about to see these creatures. She felt happy, as though these creatures were bringing a sort of euphoria to her.


	30. Chapter 30

Harry got off the small boat and stepped onto the island where Azkaban prison was located. He hated coming here. Even though the dementors didn't send him fainting anymore, he still felt weak every time he had to walk past them. He tightened his cloak as the two dementors standing guard hastily let him pass, and he quickly headed up to the cells where the two men were.

The cells were right next to each other, and while either men couldn't see the other, Harry was able to look at them both by standing in between to two cells.

When Harry approached them, the two men looked a tad surprised to see him, but said nothing.

Azkaban had certainly done it's toll on the two. They both looked tired and starved. Dark circles clouded their faces, and each had tangled beards down to their necks.

"You both seem well," Harry said simply, looking from one man to the other.

As he expected, he got no response.

"I bet you didn't expect to land here, did you?" Harry continued. "Probably thought your master would protect you if you carried out her bidding."

The man in the cell to Harry's left looked up at the word 'her' but didn't say anything.

"She'll be upset to know that we found out who she was anyway, without you're cooperation," Harry said. "And when she does, you'll probably feel a damn bit lucky to be locked away in here."

Now he had both men staring at him, looking absolutely horrified.

"You bluff," said the man on the left, standing up. "You know nothing."

"You're here to try to trick us into giving up our master," said the one on the right, also rising. "But we shall not be swayed."

"Claridina does have a way of gaining loyalty from her supporters," Harry said lightly.

The effect was immediate.

Both men looked flabbergasted, and sank back down against he far wall.

"How-how-" stammered the man on the right.

"She'll kill us," whispered the one on the left. "Azkaban can't protect us! She'll kill us both!"

"The Ministry is willing to offer you protection until we've caught her," Harry told the whimpering men. "If you talk. Tell us why she wanted Kate Dane's file destroyed."

….

"How was your holiday?" Alexandra asked Fred, James and Louis as the three boys sat down by the fire after just arriving back at the school.

"Pretty good, except my sister found my hidden stash of Skiving Snackboxes and wound up blackmailing me the whole summer," Fred said. "I had to give her my best chocolate frog card!"

"You'll never believe what I nicked from my dad's desk," James said, grinning as he pulled out a piece of parchment.

"It's just parchment," Alanna frowned.

"Just-just parchment?" James sputtered, offended. "This here is my key to a whole new level of rule breaking." He pulled out his wand and cleared his throat. "I solemnly swear that I'm up to no good."

At once, lines and squiggles began to form on the parchment, as if an invisible hand was drawing them.

"It's-it's a map of the castle," Alexandra observed, recognizing the many classrooms. "And are those dots-"

"People? Yes," Louis nodded. "Brilliant, isn't it?"

"Your dad made this?" Alanna asked.

"I don't think he made it," James said. "It has my grandfather's nickname on it: Prongs, though, so I think he did. And look! I think this passage right here takes you to Hogsmeade!"

"I say we go test that out," Fred said, winking at James.

"Well, obviously. Are you in, Louis?"

"Yes!"

"What about you girls?"

"We probably shouldn't; it'd look too suspicious if all of us went," Alanna pointed out. "Tell us how it goes, though."

"Will do," Fred nodded as him, James and Louis excitedly ran out of the common room.

"I hope they don't get into trouble," Alanna said to Alexandra.

"They'll be fine; they have that fancy map, after all."

"True. Well, I'm going to go take a shower. I think I got some gravy on my shirt at lunch."

As Alanna headed to the lavatory, Alexandra heard a pecking sound coming from the window. She turned to see one of the Hogwarts owls standing on the ledge with a parcel with her name on it in its beak. She let the owl in and took the parcel. She opened it, and the wand that she had found in her pocket the day Hermione had performed the wand test fell out. A small slip of parchment fell out as well that read: _Keep it as a souvenir._


	31. Chapter 31

Harry led the two men into the Ministry, his wand pointed at their backs. He had sent a Patronus to Ron telling him to set up an interview room, and sure enough, Ron was waiting for them.

"I've got everything in 29," Ron told Harry. "Mind if I sit in?"

"Not at all," Harry said. "Could use all the help I can get."

When they reached the interview room, Harry nodded for the two men to sit. Ron handed them two glasses.

"Now then," Harry said, sitting down across from them. "First thing we need from you two are your names. That way we can protect your families as well."

"Bernard Kagen," said the larger of the two. "Please make sure my sister is safe. She's Glenda Morgan, and lives right outside Bristol with her husband and daughter."

"We'll get them into protective custody right away," Harry nodded. He looked over to the other man. "And you?"

"Jerome Patterson. And I have no family to worry about."

"We'll be checking your names, to make sure they're accurate," Ron told them.

"In the meantime, we have a lot of questions for you," Harry said. "For starters, where did you get Sirius and Bertha's wands?"

"We didn't know whose they were," Bernard said. "She just gave us each a wand. She has many of them."

"Do you know how _she _got it then?"

"No. Like I said, she just gave us one."

"Okay," Harry sighed. "How long have you been working for Claridina?"

"Since she was released two years ago. She found us in that pub she works at and well, we needed the work."

"What did you do for her?"

"Mostly errands and stuff. She's really into potion making, so a lot of times we had to grab her rare ingredients. Stole them most of the time. Then about six months ago, she approached us."

"Yes," said Jerome. "She said that we've done our time doing servant jobs, and that she wanted to test us in the field. For the next couple months we planned the attack on the Ministry. She said that she wanted Kate Dane's file destroyed. She said that it would be in the file room of the third floor, said she had seen it during a probation interview one day, and that she needed to eliminate any trace of her."

"Why?" Harry asked. "Why didn't she want us to know anything about Kate Dane?"

"We didn't ask questions," Bernard replied.

"Did Claridina murder Kate Dane?"

"We did," Jerome said. "She told us to kill her, and then hang her so it would look like a suicide."

"Again, you don't know why?"

"No."

"How many others does Claridina have working for her?"

"About two hundred. She has them doing tasks for her all over Europe."

"How does she contact them?" Ron inquired. "She's not allowed out of her house except for work. We've been tracking her and she's abiding by that. Plus we're monitoring her Floo network and who apperates onto her property."

"She has us apperate into this tunnel about two miles from her home. We walk through it underground and into her basement."

"And she's been doing this since she's been released?"

"Yes."

"What about her son?" Harry asked. "Rolwat. Does he do anything for her?"

"We never see the boy," Bernard answered. "She keeps him away from us. But she sends him long letters everyday. I got a peek once and she kept mentioning a girl, but I don't know who."

"Do you know what she's trying to do?" Harry questioned leaning forward. "She has to have a big plan besides destroying a file."

"All she would ever say," Jerome whispered. "Was that it was going to live up to the days of the Dark Lord."

Harry blinked. "She's copying Voldemort?"

Both men flinched at the named.

"Yes," Bernard says. "She was young when he was powerful, so she was unable to join him. She says that she's going to keep his name alive forever."

Harry and Ron exchanged glances.

"Okay," Harry said. "Ron, take the two up to Kingsley. He's got their protection all ready."

"What are you going to do?" Ron asked.

"Pay a visit to Claridina."


	32. Chapter 32

"Are you actually studying?" Fred asked Teddy, astounded as he watched the violet-haired boy pour over a textbook.

"Have to," he replied, not looking up. "I need top grades on my N.E.W.T's. to get into the Aurror training program right out of school."

"But you got a bunch of O.W.L.'s with out even opening a book!" James pointed out.

"Just go away," Teddy snapped.

"I'm telling you," Fred said to Alexandra and Alanna, sitting back down in his chair. "When we have to deal with those tests, I think I'm going to just try and wing it. I can't take long hours of studying."

"Won't your parents be mad?" Alexandra asked.

"Well, my dad can't really talk, considering he didn't even finish school," Fred said. "My mum probably won't be too happy, but I plan on going into business with my dad anyway."

"We have our own exams in just five weeks, though," Alanna reminded him. "Don't you think you should at least review your notes?"

"I will before the test," Fred said. "That way it'll be fresh in my head."

Alexandra smiled. She reached into her bag to grab her History of Magic book so she could start her essay on Salem witch-hunts. As she pulled out her book, though, the mysterious wand that had been sent to her fell out onto the floor. She tried to pick it up before Alanna or Fred could get a good look, but unfortunately, she was too slow.

"Whose wand is that?" Alanna asked, frowning as she bent down to pick it up.

"I found it," Alexandra said quickly. She wasn't exactly lying…

"Someone probably lost it," Fred said. "Mind you, only an idiot would leave his wand just lying around."

"Says the person who lost his wand about five times this month," Alanna said.

"Four thank you."

"Anyway, you should turn this in, Alexandra," she continued. "Someone is probably really worried."

"I was going to," she said. "But-But Professor Longbottom wasn't in his office when I checked, so I thought I'd just keep it safe until tomorrow."

"He's in there now," Fred told her. "He just got back from the greenhouse; he was busy re-potting Mandrakes."

"Oh, well all right then," she said, taking the wand from Alanna. "I'll go right now then."

She stepped out of the common room, but didn't turn towards Neville's office. No, she was still afraid that someone would realize that she did not use her own wand on the test. But she knew that she had to get rid of the wand, or Alanna and Fred would begin to get suspicious. She sighed, and headed to the only place she could think of where no one would find the wand: the Room of Requirements.

_I need someplace to hind this wand_, she thought furiously as she walked past the room. She had done this before last year, and when she opened the door, she was not surprised to see the same ash-covered room.

The only available place to hide something was in an old wardrobe. She carefully opened it, and placed the wand inside. Once she closed it again, she decided to have a look around and see if anything else had survived the fire that seemed to have plagued the room long ago. Nothing had, save for the charred remains of a book. She had seen the book before, but hadn't taken a good look at it: _Advanced Potion Making_. She frowned, confused about why someone would go to the trouble to hide an old potions book. She gently opened it, and tried to make out what she could from the burned pages. She managed to read: _Property of the Half-Blood Prince_ on the front cover page.

_Half-Blood Prince? Who is the Half-Blood Prince?_

She continued to flip through the pages. Whoever this Half-Blood Prince was, he certainly did seem bright. He had written his own revised instructions for most of the potions in the book. He had also written down many spells as well.

She continued to peruse the book. She stopped, though, as she came across one spell that seemed to spike her interest.

_Sectumsempra- For enemies. _

…

AN- So school's starting and unfortunately, that means these daily updates are most likely not going to last much longer…I'll still try to update as frequently as possible, at least twice a week, though, so don't worry about that. Thanks for reading


	33. Chapter 33

"Did you give Professor Longbottom the wand?" Alanna asked as Alexandra walked back into the common room.

"Yes," Alexandra lied quickly.

"What's all over your shirt?" Fred asked, staring at a large black mark on her white shirt. Alexandra must've gotten some of the ashes from the Room of Requirement on it.

"Just some dirt, I suppose," she said nonchalantly. "Shall we get back to studying?"

"Can't," Alanna sighed. "We've got Quidditch. Last game of the year in just two weeks. If we win, we get the Quidditch Cup!"

"Slytherin's in the lead right now," Fred said. "But if we win by at least forty points, we'll take it from them!"

"I'm sure you'll get it," Alexandra smiled.

Once Alanna and Fred left, Alexandra decided to retreat up to her dormitory to get away from the crowd and noise of the common room. She pulled out _The Era's Darkest Wizards and their Downfall_. She opened the book to the section on Lord Voldemort. When she had first found the book over a year ago, she had been too terrified to even read the first sentence. Now, however, she had read the multiple chapters dedicated to this wizard many times. She was astounded that he had been able to get so powerful. The book said that at times, people had been to scared to say his name, and instead, simply referred to him as 'You-Know-Who'. She flipped through the section. She realized for the first time, though, that this book never explained _how _Voldemort had gotten so powerful. It started at his first reign of power, continued to when he met his downfall with Harry, to when he rose again thirteen years later, and finally to when he was killed.

How did someone become that evil? She imagined Wretermoust, and wondered if the young Voldemort was anything like he was? Surely someone would've seen the warning signs Voldemort had almost definitely presented at an early age? Surely even as a child, Voldemort would not have been able to hide his true dark intentions…

…

"Harry," Ron said as the two apperated to a point about five miles from Claridina Wretermoust's home. "Have you gone mad?"

"Not that I know of," Harry said, walking briskly towards the direction of the house.

"We can't just barge into her house," Ron said, jogging next to him. "Kingsley will have our necks, plus she-"

"You're starting to sound a lot like Hermione," Harry told him. "Besides, I'm not going to talk to her just yet."

"But you said-"

"I'll just ask the Aurrors standing watch at her house some questions; see if they've seen anything and tell them about the secret entrance so that they can keep an eye on her. I'm hoping to dig up as much as we can on her so when we _do _bring her in, there's no chance she can get anything less than life in Azkaban."

"Oh," Ron stammered. "Well, alright. Do I really sound like Hermione?"

"It was bound to happen eventually, mate," Harry said. "Now lets hurry up."

"Who has this shift of watch?" Ron asked as they quickened their pace.

"Mortimer, Sumgood, and Taxil. I'll alert everyone when we get back to the Ministry as well."

"How's her house so big?" Ron asked once the large estate came into view. "She just works at a bar."

"She inherited it from her uncle," Harry said. "Alright now, the three of them should be positioned somewhere around-No. No!"

He ran to a fallen body. "It's Taxil!"

"Bloody hell," Ron mumbled, kneeling down next to the head.

"Where are the others?"

"They have to be around here," Harry said, pulling out his wand.

"I found them," Ron said softly. He was looking behind a tree, where the bodies of Mortimer and Sumgood were.

"She did this," Harry said, staring at the large house. "She killed them. How could we have let her-"

"Harry-"

"Go back to the Ministry," Harry instructed. "Tell Kingsley about these three, and then come back with backup."

"Don't tell me you're going to see her alone," Ron said, but Harry had already started for the front door.


	34. Chapter 34

Harry held his wand as he ran up the front steps of the house. There were no lights on, and he couldn't see any movement coming from inside. He looked back to the woodsy area in front of the house, where the bodies were still visible. He gripped his wand tighter and muttered: "Alohamora", and barged in.

He was surprised to see no one there. He looked around the entranceway: nothing, save for a coat rack and a few umbrella stands. He moved through the entire first floor and didn't find any trace of Claridina. He slowly started up the staircase, ready for the woman to pop out at any second. But she never did. He searched through five bedrooms and found them as empty as the rest of the house. Then he moved towards the sixth. There was a large box on the desk, and after making sure the room was clear, Harry carefully opened the lid.

It was filled with papers; newspaper clippings, mostly, all from the days of Voldemort. Harry recognized many. There was the one from when the Dark Mark appeared at the Quidditch World Cup, the tiny blurb about Ceddric Diggory's death, a bunch saying that Harry and Dumbledore were nutters for thinking Voldemort was back. At the top of the pile lay the article about Voldemort's official return.

"What are you doing?"

Harry whirled around, wand at the ready, only to find Ron standing the doorway.

"You scared me," Harry sighed, lowering his wand.

"Sorry. I brought about forty Aurrors with me; they're searching the entire estate now. Kingsley is tending to the bodies. Have you found anything?"

"She's not here," Harry told him. "We'd have known if she was by now. She's gone into hiding."

"We'll find her."

"Whatever she was planning in secret with all her followers," Harry continued. "Must be ready."

"She must've left just recently, though," Ron pointed out. "Kingsley reckons the guards can't have been dead for more than a day. At least we'll be right on her tail."

"Problem is," Harry said. "We have no idea what she's up to."

…

"Ravenclaw's a good team," James said as him, Louis and Alexandra took seats in the stands. "They've got speed; I'll give them that, but they lack technique, which we're really strong in."

The day of the Quidditch Cup match had finally arrived, and it seemed as if the entire school had come out to see the game.

"Alanna and Fred look pretty nervous," Alexandra commented, squinting to see the players coming onto the field. "So does the whole team, actually."

"They've got to win, though," Louis said. "Slytherin can't get the Cup. I think I'd kill myself."

The three watched Savannah and the Ravenclaw team captain, a sixth year boy name Flangery Dougles, shake hands. The teams then mounted their broomsticks, and on Madam Hooch's whistle, flew up after the quaffle she had just released.

Alexandra could tell this was going to be a tough match. Ten minutes in, the score still remained 0-0. Each team had made numerous shots, but both Keepers were determined not to give up the first point. Luckily, though, Fred soon scored for Gryffindor, earning yells of joy from half the stands. Alanna and Daniel each scored a goal a piece, bringing the score to 30-0. Ravenclaw wasn't going to be giving up that easily, though, and not even two minutes after the third goal, two of their chasers put away two goals each, pulling them into the lead.

"They need to lead by forty," James said anxiously as he watched Fred's shot get blocked by the Keeper.

The Gryffindor team was up to the challenge, and soon had the score at 60-40. Both Seekers were scrounging the field, in hopes of finding the Snitch. In the meantime, one of the Ravenclaw Chasers scored another goal, but Gryffindor countered when Alanna and Daniel each scored.

"Just one more goal," Louis muttered, gripping the edge of his seat. "One more, and then if we can catch the snitch…"

Just as Louis was saying this, Fred managed to dodge two bludgers and send the quaffle through the center hoop.

The Gryffindor side of the stand was euphoric, and once their Seeker jetted down towards the tiny golden ball near the Ravenclaw end of the field, everyone was on his or her feet, cheering like mad as his hand closed around the Snitch, winning them the game.

"We won!" James and Louis exclaimed, jumping onto their seats. "We won! We got the Cup!"

Alexandra couldn't help but smile.


	35. Chapter 35

"Every Ministry in Europe is looking for her," Kingsley to Harry and the other Aurrors. "Claridina Wretermoust is now the most wanted Witch in the country."

"She grew up in Luxemburg," Harry said. "She might've gone back there. It's not much, but it's a start."

"Search there," Kingsley nodded. "In the meantime, I have to talk to the press. We need to make sure the public is aware of her."

"What about her son?" Ron asked. "Shouldn't we pick him up from the school before his mother can get him?"

"We've contacted McGonagall at the school and had her increase security," Kingsley replied. "But we will not be picking up the boy until after the term. We're hoping that Claridina will make an attempt to see him, so we can take her in then. It's a long shot, and she probably won't risk it, but it's all we've got."

After this, Kingsley dismissed the conference, and quickly headed out of the room.

"We're going to assign you to bigger groups this time," Harry said. "We don't want to have another incident like the one at Claridina's estate. Now then, about thirty of you should head to Luxemburg. Ron and I will be going as well, and we need the rest of you to stand guard and-"

Suddenly, the door opened again, and this time Hermione came in. She looked out of breath. "Ron," she panted. "Harry-Can I have a word?"

"Er, yes, okay," Harry nodded. He turned back to the Aurrors. "You'll have your assignments in a moment."

"What is it?" Ron asked as the trio stepped out of the room.

"I've only just found out," Hermione said. "Maggie Dane is dead."

"What?" Harry exclaimed. "When did-"

"None of the Aurrors standing guard were killed," she said quickly. "Four of them have broken bones that are being mended now, and the other has no injuries. He's the one that came and found me. He was looking for you, Harry, but you weren't in your office-"

"How did she get past them?" Harry asked.

"They never saw her coming," Hermione said softly. "They had placed the routine protection charms around the ground; no one was supposed to be able to apperate in or out of the area. Apparently, out of nowhere, there was a large explosion of fire in Maggie's house. Entire place was blown up. The Aurrors were sent flying. The one who didn't get knocked out; McDougle, said that he saw Claridina come out of the fire. He tried to stun her, but he had been thrown to far away to get a good aim, and she apperated away."

"I'll go talk to him," Ron said. "See if I can find out anything else."

"She got past us again," Harry said angrily. "She did it again!"

"Harry, what worries me is the fact that she was able to apperate inside those protections," Hermione said gravely.

"You know she's good, Hermione-"

"No one has _ever_ managed to do it before," Hermione said. "I hope that maybe the Aurrors just forgot to perform them correctly, because if she knows how to get around them, we're in serious trouble."

"Why?"

"Hogwarts has the same protection."

…..

"That exam was bloody brutal," Fred moaned as him, Alexandra and Alanna walked out of Professor Binn's classroom, exhausted from their History of Magic final.

"I didn't think it was too bad," Alanna commented as the three sat down for a quick lunch before their Charms final. "I think I got everything about Havlob the Hungry, and I'm almost certain I remembered all the names of the members of the first Warlock committee. I might've mixed up the dates for the French Goblin Revolution and the removal of hippogriff lungs from the market and-"

"Would you like to take the test again in your head?" Fred snapped. "Once was bad enough, thanks."

Alexandra quietly agreed with him. The least of her worries on that test was mixing up two dates.

"I'm sunk for Charms, though," Alanna sighed. "I never managed to get a hang of that spinning charm…"

Alexandra smiled sympathetically. She was looking forward to the Charms exam only because it was their last one. Once it was done, she would have an entire week to simply enjoy the castle.

After quickly shoving their steak and kidney pie down and going over a few last minute notes, Alexandra, Fred and Alanna headed up to Flitwick's classroom.

The exam didn't go nearly as bad as Alexandra suspected. She thought she did fairly well on the practical portion, only messing up her hopping charm once, and she managed most of the questions on the written portion. Once the time had finished for the test, the students all gave loud cheers as they hurried out the door, anxious to begin their relaxation.

"How was your exam?" James and Louis asked the three, just finishing up with their own test.

"Easy; Charms is my best subject," Fred shrugged. "What about you?"  
>"Finished in thirty minutes," James grinned. "Defense Against the Dark Arts is a piece of cake."<p>

"Speak for yourself," Louis huffed.

"Anyway, shall we go down and visit Hagrid?" Fred suggested. "Maybe we can get him to take us into the forest one more time!"

"I'll meet you down there," Alexandra told them. "My bag is killing my back. I'm just going to run it up to my room."

The others nodded, and Alexandra quickly ran up to her dormitory. She tossed her bag onto her bed, but as she did, some of its contents spilled out onto the floor.

She bent down to pick them up. The only book that had fallen, _The Era's Darkest Wizards and their Downfall, _had landed open. Alexandra picked it up, but before she closed it, she looked at the page.

She gasped, and dropped the book. Her heart was hammering out of her chest. It couldn't be…it just couldn't. This had to be a mistake…


	36. Chapter 36

"I've just got back from talking to McGonagall," Hermione said, running into Harry and Ron's office.

"What are they going to do about the protection?" Harry asked.

"McGonagall called all the teachers into her office," she told him. "And they acted right away. Flitwick and the Defense Against the Arts Professor put up protections even I've never heard of. McGonagall is confident no one can get into the school."

"Good," Harry said.

"Your both off to Luxemburg then?"

"Yup," Ron nodded. "We're hoping to be back by Friday."

"Just be careful. Both of you."

"We probably won't find anything, Hermione," Harry assured her.

"Yes, but still," she said. She turned to Ron. "Rose and Hugo are up in my office. They wanted to see you off."

"I'll be right up," Ron told her.

"I'm going to swing by home before we leave," Harry said. "Say goodbye to Ginny and the kids."

"Bye, Harry," Hermione said, giving him a tight hug.

"See you in four days," Harry said as they pulled apart.

Grabbing his bag, he headed to the lobby so he could dissapperate to his home.

"Hi, daddy," Lily greeted her father as he apperated into the living room.

"Hi, Lil," Harry smiled.

"Do you really have to go?"

"Afraid so," Harry nodded.

"Dad!" Albus exclaimed, running down the stairs, Ginny right behind him.

"When do you have to leave?" Ginny asked softly, kissing him gently on the lips.

"In about ten minutes," Harry replied, hugging Albus and Lily.

"Can't you come back sooner?" Lily asked, looking up him. "Like tomorrow?"

"Friday will come sooner than you think," Harry said, lifting her up.

"Are you going to find that Claridina lady, dad?" Albus asked.

"That's the plan," Harry replied.

"Can I still practice with the Snitch?" Lily asked.

"Of course. Your mum's a fair Seeker. Maybe she can give you a few tips."

"I'll try to live up to her father," Ginny grinned.

"I've got to get back to the office," Harry said. "Lil, Al? I left a file somewhere on my desk with _Luxemburg _written on it. Can you two please get it?"

Nodding, the children ran into Harry's office. Harry to this opportunity and turned to Ginny. "Gin," he said softly so Lily and Albus wouldn't hear. "As soon as I leave, you need to place protective spells around the house."

"Harry, you're scaring me."

"It's just a precaution," Harry said quickly. "But promise me: every spell you know. If you have any troubles, have Hermione come over and help you, but I'm sure you'll be fine on your own; you're a damn good witch."

"Please, just don't get hurt out there," Ginny whispered.

"We don't even know if Claridina is there," Harry reassured her.

"Yes, but all the same… And tell Ron the same. If anything happens to him, I'll never get back the ten galleons he owes me."

"I will," Harry nodded.

"I found it!" Albus said, running into the room waving a folder. Lily was at his heels.

"You did not! I did!"

"Thank you both," Harry smiled as the two stuck their tongues out at each other.

After giving everyone a last goodbye, Harry took one last glance at his family and disappereated back to the Ministry.

Once he arrived, he headed up to Hermione's office, where her, Ron, Rose and Hugo were saying their goodbyes.

"Everyone's ready," Harry said. "But I'll tell them to wait if you want a few more minutes."

"No, no I'm ready," Ron sighed, picking up his bag.

He gave Rose and Hugo one last hug, and after kissing Hermione, he walked out of the office with Harry.

The two headed down to the lobby where the other Aurrors waited.

"Here are the Portkeys," Harry said, pulling an old tin can, a beat-up wristwatch and a broken radio out of his bag. "They're set to take off one minute apart from each other. The first one will take off in," he looked at his watch. "Thirty seconds. Will the first group come over here, please?"

About fifteen men all huddled around the old tine can. Harry handed the other two Portkeys out, and then placed a hand on the crowded can. Once he did so, the Portkey activated, and Harry felt the familiar sense of being jerked by a hook from his navel and the sickening spinning. It lasted only a moment though, before it all stopped, and he was in Luxemburg.

…

Alexandra ran out of her dormitory, book in hand. Her legs somehow managed to get to where she wanted to go even though her mind was far too confused to properly instruct them. She stood in front of the door to the Room of Requirements, thinking hard that she wanted a place to be alone. She then opened the door, and found Wretermoust, sitting in a chair, as though he had been waiting for her.

"We have a tendency of running into each other here, don't we?" he asked nonchalantly.

Alexandra didn't even feel the usual chill in her spine she got when she talked to him. She shoved the book into his hands.

"Claridina Wretermoust," she said simply. "She's your mother, isn't she?"

"Yes," Wretermoust nodded. "What's so crucial about that that you had to come bursting in here and-"

"She can't be," Alexandra cut him off. "It's impossible."

"Why's it so impossible," he asked, a slow smirk creeping across his face. "That's my mum. What's it to you?"

Alexandra slowly sank into the armchair opposite Wretermoust. "No…"

"Problem?"

Alexandra took the book back and stared at the picture of Claridina Wretermoust. All those nights of staring at the picture…how could she not have realized sooner?

"She'-s-She's-"

"Yes?"

"She's _my_ mum," Alexandra finished weakly.

"I know that," Wretermoust said.

Alexandra looked up. "You knew?"

"Yes. I've known for years."

"But-But that means," Alexandra said slowly. "That you and I are-"

"I told you that we're more alike than you think," he said, grinning.

…..

AN- Yes, many of you already had your suspicions about this, which is why I never confirmed or denied it in the reviews. But don't sweat. _Much_ more twists are in store.


	37. Chapter 37

"You're my brother," Alexandra said softly, hardly daring to believe it.

"Half-brother, actually," Wretermoust said. "We have different fathers."

"Fathers?" Alexandra said, her head snapping up. "Does my dad know-"

"That muggle father of yours doesn't have a clue that mum's really a witch," he said quickly.

"But-but this can't be right," Alexandra stuttered. "I've seen pictures of…her, when she was pregnant with me. My dad was there when I was born. You're the same age as me, so how could she have given birth to you as well?"

"I'm not the one that should be telling you all this," Wretermoust said, getting up off his chair. "Mum will be able to answer far more of your questions than I can."

"I'm not going to talk to her, if that's where you're going," Alexandra told him, standing up as well.

"Then you won't get your questions answered," he shrugged. "Simple as that. Just know, your father can try all he wants to keep her away from you through those stupid muggle courts, but she's much more powerful than he is. So you can either keep fighting it, and still lose, or you can just accept it, and maybe, just maybe, you'll win."

"Win what?"

Wretermoust grinned. "Things are going to start changing. The damn Ministry may try to fight it, but they'll fall, just like last time."

"You're mum's not going to do anything to the Ministry."

"Our mum."

"The Aurrors will stop her," Alexandra continued, ignoring the last comment. "She'll get sent back to Azkaban, where she'll rot."

Wretermoust moved closer to her, so that their faces were inches apart. Alexandra tried not to be alarmed at the fact that she now noticed numerous similarities in their faces…

"That's what you think." He stepped away and headed towards the door. "I'm sure I'll be seeing you around this summer."

Alexandra stood frozen as the door swung shut, her mind buzzing out of control.

….

"This is it," Harry said as him, Ron and eight other Aurrors reached a tiny house in a small village. "The house Claridina Wretermoust grew up in."

The house was run down, and seemed as if no one had lived in it for years. Moss had overtaken it, and the windows were so dirty that it didn't seem like anyone could see either through or out of them.

"Ron, Micheals, Bott, and I will go through the front," Harry instructed. "Paul, Jones, Kinger and Portsmith take the back. Higgens and Samuels, stand guard out here."

"You don't think she'll really be in here, do you?" Ron whispered to Harry as everyone prepared for the entrance.

"No," Harry admitted. "But we can't take any chances."

Harry tried Alohamora on the lock of the front door, and as he suspected, the charm failed, so he instead resorted to simply blasting it down.

Harry's group stepped into a living room area, and he saw the second group enter through the back door in the kitchen. Harry signaled that his group was going to go upstairs while the others searched the downstairs area.

The stairs had a thick layer of dust on them, which padded the sounds of the Aurrors feet as they padded upstairs. There were only three bedrooms and a small washroom. It didn't take long to determine that Claridina was nowhere in the house.

"Anything up here?" asked Kinger, as him and the second group came up the steps. "Downstairs has absolutely nothing. Looks like no ones been here in years."

"Same here," Harry sighed. "Hope the others had more luck. They're asking around the markets in the country."

"She probably knew we'd come here," Ron said. "Luxemburg isn't exactly a huge country; she'd have nowhere to hide."

"We still have some places she could be hiding," Harry said. "There's a village not too far from here that has a pretty Dark reputation, and-"

"Harry," Ron said suddenly, feeling a wall with his hand. "Here's a door!"

Harry frowned. "She's made it blend into the wall."

Ron cautiously opened the secret door, revealing a narrow flight of stairs.

"Right, it doesn't look like too many of us will be able to fit," Harry said. "Ron and I will go up for now, and if we need you, we'll signal you."

Harry, lighting his wand, slowly began his way up the steps, Ron right behind him.

The stairs led to a sort of attic, but the ceiling was so low that both men had to hunch over.

"Over there!" Ron pointed out, shining his wand over to a far corner where a large cauldron sat. Harry bent over it, and peered into the contents. There was a thick, red liquid inside, and by heat that came from it; he guessed that someone had been tampering with it recently.

"There's all sorts of them," Ron said, shining his wand around the rest of the attic, revealing about ten cauldrons.

"She's been here then," Harry said softly. "She hasn't left this attic when she's been here, but she's been here alright. Not too long ago, too, by the looks of these potions."

"Any idea what sort of potions these are?" Ron asked, peering into a cauldron with a fizzling purple substance in it.

"No idea," Harry said. "But I'm betting they're nothing we learned at Hogwarts."


	38. Chapter 38

"I've never seen these before," said Bott, the Aurror who out of everyone had the most experience in the field of potions. He continued to peer down into the cauldrons. "They're definitely her own blend."

"We'll have to bring them back to the Ministry," Harry said. "I think about half of us should stay here in case Claridina comes back. Everyone else should continue searching the country."

Everyone agreed, so Harry divided the men into two groups. Him and Ron were going to stay behind, along with three additional Aurrors.

"I'll put a charm on the attic," Ron said. "So when she apperates directly there, we'll be alerted."  
>"We'll wait right outside the door then," Harry said. "Get ready. It looks like it's going to be a long night."<p>

"Harry!" called Micheals, who had been searching one of the bedrooms. "I found some papers."

"Let me see," Harry said, quickly heading into the room.

Micheals handed him a stack of papers.

"Mildred Greene," Harry read, flipping through the papers. "Any idea who she is?"

"Nope," Ron replied.

"I think she's a muggle," Harry said, frowning. "Here's a bunch of files from some company in London, a copy of her birth certificate…Hmmm."

"What?" Ron asked.

"I swear, I've heard this name before," Harry said.

"Well, I'm guessing she probably lives in London if that's where her company is," Ron said. "Maybe you heard it in passing."

"But why would her records wind up in Claridina's house?"

"Remember those muggles she killed before she got sent to Azkaban?" Micheals asked, pulling a large box out of the closet.

"Sure," Harry nodded. "There were, what, about twenty of them?"

"Well, I recognize some of the names here as the deceased," Micheals said, pulling out more papers from the box. "That must be where you heard the name from, Harry. Mildred was likely one of the ones she killed."

"You're right," Harry said slowly. "Guess Claridina wanted to keep some sort of trophy."

"Horrible," Ron said shaking his head. "Anyway, why don't we take the lookout in shifts? We need to get some rest."

"Good idea," Harry nodded. "Ron, you and I will take the first shift. Micheals, you and the other two can go have a lie in one of the bedrooms. Stay alert, though. We'll signal if we need you."

"Wake us up in five hours, then," Micheals nodded.

Harry and Ron conjured two collapsible chairs and set them up in the hallway, facing the attic door. The two didn't talk for over an hour. Finally, as the sky began to darken, Ron spoke.

"Sort of reminds you of back when we were chasing Horcruxes, huh? You know, standing guard all night."

"A bit," Harry agreed. "Still, it's a bit of a relief knowing we don't have to whole Ministry hunting for our heads."

"True," Ron smiled. Then he said, "So I saw you submitted Teddy's name to Kingsley to be approved for the training program."

"Yup," Harry sighed. "It's what he wants. I just hope he realizes what he's getting into."

"He won't be going on missions like these though, will he?"

"Nah, not for sometime. He'll be begging me to, though. I can just see it."

"Look at you glowing with fatherly pride," Ron grinned. "Hey, do you think James will become an Aurror when he gets older?"

"Dunno," Harry shrugged. "Neville's said he has a real knack for Defense Against the Dark Arts up at Hogwarts, but he _is _only twelve. Can't say for sure what he's going to do with his life."

"I know," Ron nodded. "I was just wondering."

"You think Rose or Hugo will?"

"Rosie will probably follow in Hermione's steps," Ron replied. "As for Hugo…I could see him here."

"I can see James here as well," Harry said. "Albus would be a brilliant Aurror as well, but I don't think he's all too into the fighting. Lily…well, she's still going strong on being England's youngest Seeker."

"Maybe she can give us a chance for the Cup then," Ron laughed. "She's bound to be better than our Seeker now."

"Yeah," Harry smiled. "But, you know? I don't reckon I really care what my kids want to do when they get older. So long as they become decent wizards, I'll be happy."

"Same here," Ron agreed.

"Ron," Harry said suddenly, grabbing his wand from his robe pocket. "Look at the door!"

A bright red light was shining out from the crack under the door.

The two jumped up. Someone was in the attic.


	39. Chapter 39

"Grab the other three," Harry whispered to Ron. "I'll head up and-"

"On you own? Are you mad?"

"I'll be fine," Harry assured him. "Just get the others."

Ron gave him a hesitant glance, but quickly ran to the room to wake up the other tree Aurrors.

Harry took a deep breath, and carefully opened the attic door. He tried to make as little noise as possible as he climbed the steps, which was easy, since the room was now filled with the sounds of the potions bubbling and sizzling.

Harry reached the top step, and saw none other than Claridina crouching down over one of the cauldrons.

Pleased to at least have the element of surprise on his hand, Harry rose his wand, ready to stun the woman, but just as he was about to strike, she said, without even turning her head: "I should've known you would be here, Harry Potter."

She slowly rose, and faced him, her wand in hand. "I see you've found my hideaway. Though I do suppose I'll be having to get a new one now…"

Harry heard footsteps clambering up the stairs, and a second later, Ron and the others appeared behind him, their wands out at the ready as well.

"It's over," Harry said. "You're not getting away this time. Expelliarmus!"

Claridina's wand flew from her hand. "Still staying strong to that spell," she said. "Is that really wise?"

"You're under arrest," Harry said firmly. "For the murder of three Ministry members and the plotting of the attack on the Ministry."

Ron and Bott approached her, ready to restrain her, but in one swift movement, she flicked a second wand from her sleeve and sent wave of fire from the tip of it, creating a wall between her and the Aurrors. Bott managed to jump back in time, but Ron let out a yell as he crumpled to the ground.

Harry and the others sent spell after spell at her, but everyone simply bounced off the flames. Harry, realizing that his efforts were futile, diverted his attention over to Ron, and quickly dragged him away from the flames. His leg seemed to be broken in more than one place, and he had a nasty looking cut across his face, but he was alive.

"Just hang in there," Harry said as Ron moaned in pain. "We'll get you help."

"Harry!" screamed one of the Aurrors. "We can't get to her!"

Harry ran back to the others. Claridina was smiling a twisted smile. Harry noticed that the flames had no effect on her, and they nearly consumed her while she showed no pain.

"You're not getting away!" Harry screamed, sending another spell towards her.

"It's useless," she said simply. "You're in over your head."

Another cloud of fire appeared, and with a flash, Claridina disappeared.

"We've got to get out of here!" Bott yelled. "The flames; they can't be put out!"

"Go!" Harry yelled. He ran over to Ron, and pulled him up. The back of his neck got singed in the process. Ignoring the pain and the smoke that was now filling up his lungs, he got him and Ron out of the attic. Bott, who was waiting for him outside the door, grabbed Ron's other arm and the three got out of the house just as the room caved in.

"Get-Get," Harry coughed. "Get the Department of Magical-Magical Accidents out here. The-The fire needs to be-be put out. And get Ron to a hospital!"

"You need one as well, Harry," Micheals said. "You're really burned up."

"Worry-Worry about Ron!"

"We'll get you both there, don't worry. Bott just went to fetch some wizards from Magical Accidents; they'll get this under control. Higgens! Samuel! Get over here and help me apperate these two to St. Mungo's!"

Harry tried to protest, and say that he was fine, but as he opened his mouth to do so, he saw his surroundings start to fade, and everything went black.

The next thing he knew, he was waking up in a white bed that he did not recognize, his head and chest aching, and his neck stinging.

"Oh, thank goodness," Ginny said, throwing her arms around his neck.

"Ah!" Harry exclaimed.

"Sorry," Ginny said, quickly letting go of his burned neck. "I didn't think…I was just so worried about you."

"Where am I, Gin?" Harry asked, blinking as he looked at his new surroundings.

"St. Mungo's," she said. "You really got beat up in that fire in Luxemburg."

"Ron? How's Ron?" Harry said, struggling to sit up.

"Lay down," Ginny said firmly. "And he's fine. His leg's broken, but the Healers think that he'll be back up and walking in a little over a week. He just woke up. Told me to tell you that you're a huge git for risking your life like that for him."

"She got away," Harry said softly. "Claridina. We had her, but she-she…we couldn't get to her."

"Don't worry about that now," Ginny said. "You need your rest."

"How?" Harry said. "She was right there, but the fire-We couldn't even touch her…"

"She knows magic, Harry," Ginny said. "That no decent wizard could possibly imagine."

"Which makes her that much more dangerous," Harry sighed. "Gin, she's plotting something…I-I don't think she's going to be hiding much longer."

"But-but it won't be as bad as Voldemort, will it?" she asked quietly.

Harry didn't respond.

Ginny sighed. "I thought it was over…I thought finally…"

"I did too," Harry said. "But it looks like its only just begun."

….

"It sure feels like summer," Alanna said, wiping a trickle of sweat from her brow.

"I know," Fred said, glancing up at the bright sun.

The last day of the term had arrived, and the Hogwarts students were stepping onto the train to head back to platform 9 ¾.

"Where is James?" Louis asked. "The train is going to leave any minute?"

"Wonder what Professor Longbottom wanted to talk to him about," Alanna said. "Any idea, Alexandra?"

"Hm?" Alexandra said. "What?"

"Are you okay?" Alanna frowned. "You've seemed sort of…off the past few days."

"I'm fine," Alexandra lied. "I'm just ready for summer to start."

"There he is," Fred said, watching James run over to them.

"Let's get a compartment, then," Alanna said. "Before they all fill up."

"What did Neville want?" Fred asked James as the boy reached the others.

"My dad," James panted, still a little worn from having to run down from the school. "He's in St. Mungo's."

"What?"

"He's fine," James said quickly. "He's leaving later on tonight…Uncle Ron's there as well; broken leg."

"What happened?" Alanna asked as everyone filed into one of the few remaining compartments.

"He was on a mission for work," James explained. "They were looking for Claridina Wretermoust."

Alexandra's head shot up at the mention of this name. "Did they find her?"

"No," James replied. "She got away. But apparently, she killed three Aurrors that were standing over her house. She's on the run."

"Wonder what's going to happen to her lump of a son," Fred said. "Can't exactly go home to mummy for the holiday if she's on the lamb…though, he probably knows exactly what she's up to."

"Neville told me that he's staying with an Uncle for the time being," James said.

"That uncle is probably just as horrible as she is," Louis said. "That entire family is bad; it's in the blood."

Alexandra felt her insides clench at this statement…she shared that bloodline.

"They'll catch her," Alanna said confidently. "They'll catch her, and she'll be thrown in Azkaban."

Alexandra nodded in agreement, but as she sat there for the remainder of the ride, she couldn't decide whether that was what she really wanted.

…..

AN- Well, that's it. This story's done. The sequel is up now. It's called Oddity. I just want to thank all the readers and reviews for their support through the story. I really appreciate it! Thanks so much!


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